Demon's Grief
by szayelchick
Summary: Naruto leaves Konoha, having had enough of his hellish life, and establishes himself in Kumogakure. However, Ino is devastated by his departure. Then, a few years later, the Sandaime Hokage finds Naruto and convinces him to return to Konoha. What's next?
1. Goodbye Konoha

NOTE TO EVERYONE!! There is an Author's note at the base of the page, please read to clear up any misunderstandings in Chapters 1 and 2!! Anything else, send me a PM.

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Demon's Grief

Goodbye Konoha

Naruto walked slowly down the road, trying not to cry. Team 7 had just finished a C-rank mission in the Land of Waves - they had been protecting the master bridge builder, Tazuna. Naruto had not liked Tazuna at first, but as they travelled and he understood Tazuna's situation, had begun to feel some empathy towards the man. But throughout the whole mission, both Sasuke and Sakura had been insulting him and making him feel worthless. He acted as if their insults merely bounced off without making an impact, but they did. They hurt so much. _Why did everyone hate him? Why? _he wondered sadly. Every time he passed through the town, the villagers threw stones and knives at him, and even the students at the academy had hated him. He had no friends. Earlier today, Sakura Haruno, a kunoichi in his team, told him he was a loser and a dead-last and that he should just go away and die somewhere. _Why? Why do they hate me so much?_ he wondered again. For as long as he could remember, he had been hated by the villagers. Even Iruka-sensei hated him. His former sensei tried to act kindly towards him, but he knew, he could see the hatred in the man's eyes. Why? Why the hatred?

Suddenly, Naruto heard a noise behind him. The 9 year old turned, only to be met with a kunai that whizzed out of the darkness. _No………_ he screamed mentally. _Not again!_ Almost every week, an assassination attempt was made on his life as he went home. Most times, he managed to escape alive, but lately, they had been getting worse, as if stronger and stronger ninja were taking on the task to try and end his life. Naruto began to run as a hail of kunai fell around him. This was his only chance of survival, running. But it didn't last long. He felt a sudden breeze pass him, and suddenly, a masked shinobi stood in front of him. The small boy came to a sudden halt, and backed away, only to feel the point of a knife at his throat and the warmth of a body behind him.

"Heh, heh, got you now, _demon_," said the masked ninja. "Look at me, bijuu boy, do you know what I am?" Naruto fearfully shook his head, his small frame trembling in abject fear. The other shinobi behind him chuckled maliciously.

"I am an ANBU," said the shinobi, laughing sadistically at Naruto's horrified expression. "Yes, I see that you know what I mean. Not so stupid as you look, eh, bijuu boy?" Naruto's body began to shake in earnest. He knew what the man meant. Being an ANBU meant that the ninja before him had exceptional powers of killing and abuse. He would never escape alive. The ninja shifted and tightened his grip on the kunai in his hand. "Let the fun begin!" he said menacingly. The other ninja let go of Naruto and they proceeded to stab, kick and burn the boy with different jutsus. Naruto's body curled involuntarily into a fetal position, trying to escape the constant, brutal pain. A harsh kick met his side, and he screamed, feeling one of his ribs crack under the cruel pressure. He didn't know if he could take much more……. One of his arms was already broken, and now his ribs. He already had multiple kicks to the head. Then he heard a voice.

"Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu!" A scream of utter agony was ripped from the young boy's throat as fire burnt his body mercilessly. He could feel his skin giving way under the two blasts of fire charring his body from either side. _Why? _was his last thought, before slipping into unconsciousness. _Why me? _

_

* * *

_ Naruto awoke slowly. His azure eyes cracked themselves open, straining to see through the murky darkness surrounding him. _Where am I?_ he wondered. _Am I dead?_

"**Silly kit. Of course you're not dead.**" came a sudden, booming voice. Naruto jumped and looked around frantically.

"Wh-Who are you?" he cried in fright, the murky water around his ankles splashing sluggishly with his movements. A laugh answered him.

"**I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune, otherwise known as the Nine-tailed Demon Fox.**" Naruto's eyes widened. _Wha-?_ He was extremely confused. The laugh came again.

"**Come forward, kit.**" Naruto looked doubtful. "**Just do it.**" came the voice again. Naruto took tentative steps forward, until he came to a huge cage. The small boy stared. He was even more confused now. Then he jumped back in surprise and slight fear. Two huge, red, glowing eyes had appeared out of the darkness of the cage. They got bigger as the form came closer, revealing to Naruto a large crimson fox, with thick fur and nine large bushy crimson tails.

"Who-Who are you, and where am I?" queried Naruto uncertainly. The fox smiled, exposing sharp, pure white teeth and dangerous fangs and squatted down on his haunches. Naruto looked at it in confusion.

"**Have a seat, kit. This explanation is going to take a while.**" A chair suddenly appeared beside the boy, and Naruto sat down, looking expectantly at the fox. Its nine tails swished before it began.

"**Alright. For starters, I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune, or the Nine-tailed Demon Fox. Surely you have heard stories of the Demon who attacked Konohagakure no sato during the reign of the Yondaime Hokage?**" Naruto nodded, still slightly confused. He couldn't see where this was going. The fox nodded and continued:

"**Well, I am that Demon.** " He waited for Naruto's reaction. He was not disappointed. The small boy freaked, almost falling off of his chair.

"Y-You! What are you going to do to me?" Kyuubi chuckled.

"**Calm down, kit,**" he ordered. Naruto instantly settled down. The fox proceeded with his explanation.

"**I attacked the village, because I had been put under a special seal by Madara Uchiha. When I came to, I was inside you. I decided to watch your life from inside your mindscape, in other words, from here inside this cage.**" Naruto stared. This was his mindscape? So…..if Kyuubi was in his mindscape, and the Yondaime had sealed the demon inside a small child, then that meant……………….that meant……

"That I am a Jinchuuriki," he said out loud. The fox grunted in approval.

"**Yes, kit. You are indeed a Jinchuuriki, a Human Sacrifice.**" Naruto nodded in understanding. Then his face fell.

"You are the reason why the villagers hate me." he stated quietly. Kyuubi grew quiet, not knowing what to reply to the statement.

"**I'm sorry kit, but I had no control over what I did. Also, you should not let their foolish hate deter you from becoming strong.**" Naruto nodded, new understanding dawning on his small face. He suddenly perked up again.

"Are there other Jinchuuriki?"

"**Yes,**" replied Kyuubi. "**There are actually eight other Bijuu, but only six Jinchuuriki.**"

"How is that?" asked Naruto. "I would've thought that there would've been an equal number of Bijuu and Jinchuuriki."

"**Well, that is because not all of the Bijuu have been sealed. As I said, there are eight other Bijuu besides me. I am the most powerful, being the Nine-tails, and all the other Bijuu bow to my superior power. The line of Bijuu, starting with the weakest, is Ichibi no Shukkaku, the one-tails, Nibi no Bakeneko, the two-tails, Sanbi no Kyodaigame, the three-tails, Yonbi no Saru, the four-tails, Gobi no Irukaume, the five-tails, Rokubi no Namekuji, the six-tails, Shichibi no Kabutomushi, the seven-tails, Itachibi no Kyogyu, the eight-tails, and myself.**" Naruto was, to say the least, awed.

"Wow……." he said, looking dazed. Kyuubi laughed, then grew serious.

"**Kit, listen to me. If you stay in this village any longer, they will kill you. You must leave, tonight, and I will train you from inside your mindscape. Go home now, and start packing your things. Then, we will go to a different town, get you a change of clothing, and start your training.**" Naruto nodded in comprehension. Kyuubi continued:

"**I have healed your wounds, just think about the outside world to leave your mindscape. You will be able to communicate with me at any time just by thinking whatever you want to say. Remember, do not speak out loud, or else you will attract unwanted attention.**"

"Hai!" Naruto said, grinning. The small boy focused and thought of the road close to his home. As he did so, the murky landscape of his mind faded, and the real world came slowly back into focus. Naruto got up slowly from the ground. His body was unhurt; Kyuubi had healed all of his wounds. The blonde ran home, and began to pack, sealing all of his items in various Generic Seals. His only set of kunai, a few battered shuriken, and some simple exploding tags.

"**We'll get you some new ninja tools when you leave, kit,**" came Kyuubi's voice. "**For now, just concentrate on packing as quickly as you can, we need to leave before daybreak.**" Naruto followed Kyuubi's orders and began packing faster. It wasn't long before he finished; being an orphan meant that he didn't have much belongings. Then he sat down and wrote a note to the Sandaime Hokage.

"Old man, I'm sorry, but I have to leave the village. I don't know if I'll be back or when I'll be back. If I have caused you any pain, again I'm sorry, but I couldn't take the hatred any longer.

Naruto."

"**Alright, come on now, kit,**" came Kyuubi's impatient voice. "**Daybreak is nearing. We have to go.**" The blonde boy laid the note on the desk in his salon, and, pausing beside the table, raised his hand to his forehead. His fingers touched the cold metal of his hitai-ate, and they stilled, as he tried to make a decision. Finally, with Kyuubi urging him to hurry, he drew off the item identifying him as a Konoha ninja and left the house without a second glance. Kakashi-sensei or Sasuke would find the note in the morning, when he did not come to practice. For now, he had to concentrate on getting across the border of the Fire Country.

The boy ran with great speed through the town, leaping lightly from roof to roof as he went. He had to get to the gates as quickly as possible; if he waited until daybreak, the town would be awake then and it would be harder to leave. The large iron-wrought gates of Konohagakure no sato soon came into view. Naruto snuck out, making sure the ninjas at the gate didn't sense him; or if they did, the only thing they would see would be a flash of orange and bright yellow. The blonde boy exhaled in relief as he passed the small ninja booth where the two Jounin on guard duty sat. One obstacle down.

"**Don't relax yet, kit,**" came Kyuubi's deep voice. "**Remember, you still have to pass the Fire Country borders.**"

'_Yeah',_ replied Naruto, picking up the pace. He only had about two and a half hours before training time came around and therefore only two and a half hours before he could safely say that no one had noticed his departure.

'_Where do you want me to go?'_ he asked Kyuubi. He had no idea which ninja village he should stop at first.

"**Probably a smaller village, like Hidden in the Mist, or Hidden in the Cloud.**" said Kyuubi, thoughtfully. "**I should opt for Hidden in the Cloud, you've already been to Hidden in the Mist, and so they know you there. We can't afford to let any ninja from Konohagakure to find out your location. Remember, you're a nuke-nin now.**"

'_Yeah……'_ said Naruto, sighing. _'How far are we from the border, Kyuubi?'_ There was a short pause as Kyuubi, through Naruto's eyes, tried to determine the distance in terms of time.

"**I'd say about one hour, kit. So go a little faster.**" Wordlessly, Naruto began to run faster, pumping chakra to his legs in order to give him more impetus. He only had about 45 minutes before his training time. With that in mind, the blonde boy ran faster and faster, until the forest began to thin out into a sort of desert.

"**Well done, kit. You've come out of the Fire Country. You're about two miles from Sunagakure now. Just be careful in that town.**"

'_Hai.'_ replied Naruto. He carefully concealed himself in a clump of trees and sat down, breathing slightly heavier than usual. That sure had been a rigorous run.

"**Why are you stopping, kit?**" asked Kyuubi. Naruto sweatdropped.

'_Oi, just because you're a demon and don't need to eat or rest for a long period of time, doesn't mean that I can do the same,'_ he said, slightly exasperated. Kyuubi snickered. Ignoring him, Naruto drew out two seals, one marked Food, and the other marked Water. He bit his thumb and swiped it once across each seal. With a faint 'poof,' ninja rations, ramen and a canteen of water appeared on each scroll. Grinning hugely, Naruto picked up the ramen, but stopped when he realized he had no water. His face fell dramatically, and Kyuubi began to laugh.

"Itadakamisu," grumbled Naruto, picking up the ninja rations. '_Stupid Kyuubi',_ he thought.

"**Hey! I can hear you, you know!**" said Kyuubi indignantly. Naruto smirked.

'_That's the point.' _Naruto's chuckle filled the clearing as Kyuubi grumbled about ungrateful hosts and cheeky little brats. The blonde boy, finished with his meal, straightened and did some stretches, before repacking his scrolls and shrugging on his ninja backpack.

'_Ready to go!_' he said excitedly to Kyuubi. '_I'm not going to stop in Sunagakure no Sato, I have enough energy and rations to last me until I reach Hidden in the Clouds. Besides, I can't risk being seen, even though I don't know any ninja from Hidden in the Sand. My blonde hair is too distinctive, they would definitely remember me if Sandaime asked. And, I'm not sure whether or not they noticed my absence yet. Remember, I'm the village 'demon', so they can't afford me just going off like that. Sandaime would also probably send some ANBU after me.'_

"**True.**" remarked Kyuubi, impressed at his host's reasoning. "**Well, let's get going.**"

Naruto sprang up and began running again. While he didn't mention it to Kyuubi, he was still slightly nervous that Sandaime would send ninjas to bring him back to the village, and even though he was stronger than he let on, he would still be no match for a trained Jounin. He subconsciously went faster, his nervous mind urging him on. He soon passed Sunagakure no Sato, grinning with victory when the Sand ninjas didn't even look his way.

'_Mission accomplished, Kyuubi._' he said to his inner demon. He was met with snores. What? How could Kyuubi sleep whilst he was running for his life? Naruto grumbled to himself, then decided to keep an eye out whilst he ran. You never knew what or who might stop you as you travelled. Already the desert was beginning to give way to shrubs and taller trees, not exactly a forest, but normal foliage. He was getting closer to Hidden in the Clouds.

'_Oi, wake up Kyuubi,_' he called to his sleeping demon. No response. '_WAKE UP!_' he yelled mentally. The snores were cut off abruptly as Kyuubi woke with a start.

"**What?**" he growled. Damn that kit for waking him up like that. Naruto chuckled.

'_We're close to Cloud,'_ he told Kyuubi. _'So I'm going to stop there.' _

"**Alright, kit.**" replied Kyuubi. Naruto approached the gates of the village, only to be stopped by the customary Jounin ninja at the gate.

"Who are you, and where are you from?" queried the ninja blocking his way. Naruto looked him over. He was dressed in all black; standard black ninja pants, a black mesh shirt, and a black flak jacket with the Jounin Cloud symbol at the back. He wore his hitai-ate around his neck loosely.

"My name is –"

Kyuubi interrupted. "**Don't tell him your real name.**" Naruto continued with slight annoyance. Geez, couldn't Kyuubi give him _some_ credit? He had already thought of an alias.

"Akuma Hiai, former Konoha nin." With a searching glance, the man stepped out of Naruto's pathway and gestured for him to enter. The blonde nodded, and entered the village, smiling grimly as he pondered his new name. Grieving Demon; it suited him.

Naruto looked around at the village as he entered. It reminded him of Leaf; only on a smaller scale. He felt right at home. The only things missing were the Hokage tower, and the glares and hateful comments from the passing villagers. But of course, he didn't miss the latter.

"**You'd better stock up on your ninja supplies, kit.**" commented Kyuubi.

'_Good idea.'_ replied Naruto. He looked around. _Hmmm….Now where was the ninja store? Ah, there it is._ The young boy walked over to the store and entered it. His eyes widened. It was chock-full of every possible shinobi tool he could've ever imagined. Kunai, shuriken, katanas, exploding tags, backpacks, soldier pills, makibishi, kama, senbon, everything he had ever seen or used, and a few more which he was unfamiliar with. _Where to start?_ He mused. Probably with the kunai; he needed a good set. Naruto strolled down the aisle of kunai, picking out choice ones made of different metal and different uses. Some he could channel chakra through, others he could coat with chakra and still others were made of a special metal that aided a shinobi's throwing technique. He browsed through until a special set caught his eye. They were obviously expensive; but he had lots of money, and this set would last him a long time. He picked them up and kept the others he had gathered along his way through the aisle. _Next: the other aisle_, he thought. Soon he had gathered quite an armful of tools; shuriken, kunai, senbon, makibishi, and a series of exploding tags of different proportions. He had also picked up a few Generic Seals, and one Special Seal for an idea he had in mind. Suddenly Kyuubi, who had been silent from the moment he entered the store, spoke up.

"**Get the kodachi on your right.**" Naruto looked in the direction that Kyuubi had pointed him in. His eyes landed on a slim-bladed sword with a black guard and gently curved contours. '_Kodachi, huh? What do you want me to get this for, Kyuubi?'_ he asked.

"**I'm going to teach you kenjutsu, kit. The art of swordsmanship,**" he added, knowing Naruto was about to ask him the meaning of kenjutsu. Naruto shrugged and picked it up. Whatever, Kyuubi must have a good reason. His arms full, he made his way to the front and laid the items in a heap in front of the proprietor.

His pocket noticeably lighter, Naruto made his way across the street to the shinobi clothing store. His grin was obvious; it was time for something he had always wanted to do, but couldn't in Konoha, because no store would sell him proper shinobi clothing. To them, he was the 'demon' of Konoha, and didn't deserve to become a shinobi. Naruto shrugged off the disturbing thoughts and entered the shop.

An hour later, a completely different individual exited the shop. The blonde shinobi was dressed in standard black ninja pants, a black mesh shirt, and a black cloak that reached his knees. Instead of a hitai-ate, a black silken cloth was wound around his head and tied at the back. He also wore combat boots, with weighted soles, and a small catch at the sides that released a small blade on the heel of the boot when hit. Black fingerless gloves adorned his hands with a pair of metal knuckles, and a belt was slung around his waist. Attached to the belt was a hip pouch containing his shinobi tools. A shiny kodachi was strapped to his back. The shinobi's face was concealed by a black mask that left only one blue eye visible and obscured all of his other features. His clothing showed off his muscled physique, telling every person who knew Shinobi that this individual was one to be reckoned with. The figure stopped in the street, looking around.

'_What next, Kyuubi?'_ asked Naruto, scanning the street. Kyuubi thought for a moment,

"**Get something to eat, and some rest, then we'll look about staying in Cloud.**" ordered Kyuubi. "**Tomorrow we'll train.**"

'_Okay!_' replied Naruto.

The young blonde continued down the street, looking for a ramen shop. He soon found one and quickly entered it. In no time at all, he was sitting at a table in front of 10 steaming bowls of miso ramen, consuming them at an alarming rate. Naruto kept his eyes and ears out for any signs of danger while he ate, having learned the hard way from the Konoha villagers the merits of being wary. His efforts were rewarded.

About 20 minutes after he entered the shop, on his fourth bowl of ramen, a tall, muscular man wearing shinobi's clothing under a daimyo's robes entered the shop. Naruto observed him discreetly whilst pretending to be wholly absorbed in his ramen. He was obviously an experienced shinobi: his tanned, worn face was littered with multiple scars, and black, piercing deep-set eyes roamed the shop quickly, searching for any possible spies, before leaning over the counter to speak in hushed tones to the proprietor. Naruto strained his ears, but couldn't hear.

'_Kyuubi, can you hear them?_' he asked.

"**No, but you can.**" replied Kyuubi. Naruto frowned ever so slightly down at his ramen.

'_How? I tried straining my ears but I still can't hear.'_ Kyuubi chuckled.

"**Not like that, kit. Just send some chakra to your ears, **_**slowly**_**, or else you will get a headache from the influx of sound.**" Naruto focused, and willed some chakra to his ears. A cacophony of sound immediately met his more sensitive organs, and the Jinchuuriki had to focus on the two voices by the counter.

Still managing to look absorbed in his food, Naruto began to eavesdrop.

"..Akuma Hiai….no, never heard of him……"

"………we'll see……"

The snatches of conversation only made Naruto more confused, and he retracted the chakra from his ears, preferring to meet whatever challenge awaited him head-on.

"**Kit, I think that something may happen to you when you come out,**" remarked Kyuubi. "**From his words, the daimyo probably wants to assess your level as a shinobi. They probably need to because they have no knowledge of an Akuma Hiai.**"

'_Mm….'_ replied Naruto distantly. He just hoped that if they send shinobi after him, they would be either high Chuunin or low Jounin level; he couldn't afford to fight at full power and advertise to everyone his latent strength.

The blonde shinobi pushed away his tenth bowl of ramen and came to his feet, his hunger sated. The daimyo had left the shop moments before, and as Naruto passed the proprietor, the plump man gave him a long, searching look. As Naruto stepped out into the street, the darkness immediately swallowed him, concealing him from prying eyes. Naruto suppressed the urge to look around to see if he was being tailed, and without a glance at the shadows surrounding him, continued down the street, walking as if he had not a care in the world. As he reached the center of the street, where a few villagers still walked, Naruto's sharp eyes caught a slight, stealthy movement as a lone shadow detached itself from the other black mass of shadows. He was being followed.

"**Someone's following us, kit**." said Kyuubi, stating the obvious.

'_Yeah, I know.'_ replied Naruto. _'But I'm not going to fight out here in the open street.'_ The blonde turned quickly down into a small, dimly lit street. After quickly checking that there was no threat around, he spun in the opposite direction to face his attacker.

"What do you want?" he asked harshly, slipping into a Taijutsu stance. He was going to use Taijutsu only to defeat his opponent; he didn't want to waste chakra, nor show the entire shinobi world his true strength. The Kumo shinobi made no attempt at an answer; instead, he lunged forward and began throwing powerful, high-speed punches and chops at various places on Naruto's body. Naruto easily dodged them all, parrying the blows with some of his own, and deciphering the mode of Taijutsu. The man was obviously a Taijutsu master: he was using the Ryuusei style, a combination of the three simpler styles of Tora, Washi and Saru. Naruto smirked. He had already mastered Ryuusei; and was currently working on Tsuki. Sarutobi had given him the Taijutsu scrolls and hired an ANBU to help him practice. Within 7 months, Naruto was able to fight on an even level with the ANBU using the Ryuusei style, and just before he became a Genin, he had partially completed the Tsuki style. Naruto came back to the present, realizing that he had automatically been blocking his opponent's punches. He needed to end this spar now.

Naruto dodged a super-fast punch and quickly darted behind the Kumo shinobi, using his right foot to kick the surprised male in his neck. The shinobi toppled like a fallen tree, unconscious. Naruto grimaced. That last kick must've been too hard. Now what to do? Kyuubi interrupted his musings.

"**Wake him up and make him take you to the daimyo. You could always use Kumogakure no sato as your base if they become your ally.**" Naruto nodded.

'_Good idea.'_ he commented. Kyuubi just smirked in reply. Naruto walked over to the shinobi's prone figure and nudged him with a boot-clad foot. The man didn't move. Naruto sighed and drew out a canteen of water, and then splashed some onto the unconscious shinobi's face. That did it. The man woke with a start, then, seeing Naruto, instantly shifted into a defensive stance. Naruto simply looked at him and smirked.

"Take me to your daimyo," he ordered. "I want to see him. Now." The shinobi looked undecided, and then he straightened and began to turn away.

"Come." he stated to Naruto.

The blonde boy followed the shinobi through the town's streets until they came to a large wooden building with no sign or name. The shinobi entered the wooden structure and Naruto followed. It was well lit; and obviously was a sort of waiting room, where citizens with complaints or shinobi looking for work could see the daimyo. Naruto stood silently beside the shinobi in the deserted room as he spoke in hushed tones to the shinobi secretary. Then he turned to Naruto.

"The daimyo will see you tomorrow morning here at 9:00 am. He is currently not in Kumogakure, my apologies." Naruto nodded to the two shinobi and exited the building, melting into the shadows. He made his way to the hotel at which he was staying and ascended to his room to have a talk with Kyuubi and a good rest.

'_Kyuubi, do you think Konoha has noticed my disappearance yet?'_ he queried of the demon fox.

"**No.**" replied Kyuubi. "**I do not think your disappearance will be noted until tomorrow morning. Remember, this is not the first time you missed training. The last time you disappeared, you had been at the lake, and you told Kakashi that if ever you disappeared again, that is where you would be. By the time Kakashi remembers this, you'll be long gone, and it'll be tomorrow morning.**"

'_Yeah_,' replied Naruto. '_I'm gonna get up at 6:00 am for a few hours' training before I meet with the daimyo. I've got a few jutsus to master.'_

"**Good idea, kit.**" commented Kyuubi. "**Now get some sleep, it is getting late.**"

"Mmmm…" replied Naruto, his eyes already beginning to droop closed. He was tired…… Man, it felt good not having to worry about anyone coming in during the night. Naruto fell asleep, his slumber uninterrupted by nightmares for the first in his life.

* * *

Authors Note: It has come to my attention that there are a few discrepancies in the first section of the story. First, this is sort of a fantasy Naruto world of my own creation, where the children enter the Academy at 5 years old, and spend about 3 years there, and so graduate when they are 9. This is why Naruto is only 9 at the beginning of the story. Then in Chapter 2, there is the matter of a 9 year old being able to do the Rasengan - that's because lil' Naruto's a sort of prodigy. It's kinda also to show how much like Yondaime he is - the following chapters will explain.


	2. Realization

Realization

Naruto rolled over, his eyes cracking slightly open as he squinted in the warm glow of the morning sun's rays. His bed felt more comfortable than usual……. He jerked to an upright position as yesterday's events filled his mind. He had to train! The blonde boy got up slowly and made his way to the bathroom to commence his morning ablutions. Twenty minutes later, the blonde emerged from the bathroom fully awake, his spiky sun-kissed locks glistening and his clear blue eyes sparkling. Naruto dropped his towel and rummaged in his backpack for the scroll with his clothing. When he found it, he began to dress.

Five minutes later, Naruto was dressed and ready to go. The young shinobi adjusted his mask in the mirror, securing it so that only his azure eyes were visible. He turned on his heel and left the room, two thoughts in mind: he had to find a laundry shop, and he needed to find somewhere to train, undisturbed. He would eat after he had seen the daimyo. Naruto exited the hotel and entered the street, looking around for a laundry shop. When he found none, he shrugged and began heading out of the town in search of a training ground he could use. He soon found a series of training grounds on the edge of the town, away from the civilians. It was still early, so he had about an hour and a half to himself before any shinobi came out to train. Naruto rested his backpack against the base of a tree in the training grounds and began to train.

First, he practiced throwing his new chakra knives and kunai, aiming them at the centre of a circle he had carved into the tree. They had begun this exercise shortly before he left and completed it. He could throw a kunai decently, but sometimes his aim was off. He intended to make sure he had 100% accuracy when throwing. Then he moved to the chakra knives. He still couldn't get them to go the way he wanted, that is; they couldn't pierce both a tree and a rock in one single throw. Naruto was going to resolve that this morning, though.

The blonde shinobi threw the chakra knives until he was satisfied with the quality of his aim, the power behind the throw, and the distance the tools went. Then he moved onto the Odama Rasengan. He had yet to perfect it. Naruto worked on forming the Rasengan as quickly as he could, aiming to improve his battle time. The longer he took to do a jutsu, the easier it would be to kill him. Then he sat down and drew out a scroll marked 'Chakra Separation Seal.'

Naruto had been interested in seals ever since he had gone to the library to understand the concept of Generic Seals and found a book on chakra seals. It was then that he understood that the tattoo on his stomach was a seal, but he didn't know what it did, and he had always forgotten to ask Sarutobi. But now he knew….and there was no turning back. Naruto unfurled the scroll and surveyed it. This was his first scroll to be created. 'The Chakra Separation Seal,' he mused. It was an appropriate name. It would completely separate his and Kyuubi's chakra, and allow him to fully control all of Kyuubi's power should he need it, without gaining the physical form of a fox. With the seal, Kyuubi would be able to manifest himself, with Naruto controlling the amount of power he could have. Naruto looked back at the scroll. It was currently half-finished, and he didn't know when he would complete it. He looked at his watch. About 40 minutes left….. He picked up a reed pen and began to write kanji symbols on different parts of the scroll. He **would** make some progress on the scroll before he had to go to the daimyo.

The blonde shinobi straightened, feeling his muscles pop from staying so long in one position. He checked his watch again. He had 5 minutes left. Naruto rolled the scroll, now littered with various kanji symbols, and tucked it away into his backpack. Then he made a few hand seals and disappeared from the training grounds in a sudden gust of wind. A few seconds later, Naruto stood on the main street of Kumogakure, revising the directions to the daimyo's office in his head. He began walking down a familiar road, taking turns every now and then as he remembered it from the night before. He soon stood in front of the drab building, surveying it coolly. He looked at his watch again. 9:00 am. It was time. Naruto took a breath, and stepped forward into the building.

As soon as he stepped into the small waiting-room, the shinobi he had met previously at the secretary's desk stood up and gestured for him to go into the room behind him.

"Hogaku-san is waiting," he stated politely. "Please enter." Naruto nodded to him and went through the blue door, shutting it quietly behind him. He turned around and looked at the room. It was sparse; only a desk with a chair behind it and another chair in front of it occupied the room. The blonde's eyes moved to the figure in the chair behind the desk. The daimyo was obviously a former shinobi. His face was littered with countless scars, physical reminders of bitter battles, and his black hair was worn in a short, spiky style, extending down the sides of his face and jaw to form a short, neatly-trimmed beard. Piercing grey eyes stared back at Naruto, assessing him. The daimyo gestured to the empty chair in front of him.

"Take a seat." he said authoritatively. Naruto moved obediently from his position near the door and sat in the empty seat. When Naruto seated himself, the daimyo continued.

"One of the many shinobi in this village told me of your request to see me." Naruto nodded in acknowledgement.

"Why?" the daimyo queried. Naruto began.

"When I arrived in Kumogakure, I went to a Ramen shop, as you might know, seeing as you were there." Ignoring the flicker of surprise that crossed the daimyo's face at his statement, he went on;

"I ate and left, but a Kumo shinobi followed me out and attacked me. I defeated him and revived him then asked to see you. I want to know if I could be allowed to remain here." The daimyo looked thoughtful.

"This matter is out of my hands. You will have to see the Raikage." The daimyo got up from his chair and exited the room, Naruto following him. The two males exited the building and headed for the Raikage's tower, set conspicuously in the middle of the town. When they reached the gate, the guards immediately let them through on seeing the daimyo. The daimyo and Naruto climbed a flight of stairs, and then walked down about three corridors, before they came to a halt in front of a green door. The daimyo raised a hand and knocked twice. Silence ensued, and then a deep voice came from behind the door.

"Come in."

The daimyo turned the knob and entered the room. Naruto looked around. The Raikage's office was extremely similar to the Hokage's: a simple desk and chair in the center, and shelves of books and scrolls lining the walls. The Raikage was a powerful-looking man. His white-yellow hair was scraped back and combed neatly, and his handlebar moustache and small beard were neatly trimmed. He wore no shirt, exposing his well-developed chest and pectoral muscles, and a standard black shinobi's pants. Bushy eyebrows lay on his tanned, slightly wrinkled face over a pair of piercing black eyes. The Raikage turned to the daimyo.

"Yes, Hogaku?" he queried, slightly impatient. The daimyo bowed in greeting before beginning.

"Raikage-sama, this shinobi would like asylum in Kumogakure." There was no more to be said. The Raikage turned his eyes on Naruto's black-clad frame.

"What is your name and age?" he queried. Naruto prepared to answer.

"**Don't tell him your real name,**" said Kyuubi suddenly.

'_Duh.' _replied Naruto, annoyed. '_Why do you always have to pop in when you're not needed?'_ He tuned out Kyuubi's indignant sputters and continued to speak.

"My name is Akuma Hiai. I am 9 years old, and a former Genin of Konohagakure."

The Raikage raised his eyebrows. "9 years old?" Naruto nodded in reply. The Raikage and the daimyo exchanged a look, and then the Raikage turned back to the blonde.

"You may remain in Kumogakure if you wish. Only, please notify either myself or the daimyo of your comings and goings as a precaution." Naruto nodded in understanding.

"I will not become a Kumo shinobi," he began. "But I will report to you and aid Kumogakure in any time of war." The Raikage nodded.

"Thank you. Is that all?" Naruto and the daimyo nodded.

"Hai."

"You are dismissed."

* * *

Konohagakure:

"Where's Naruto, Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sasuke to his Jounin teacher. The masked shinobi raised his head from his precious Icha Icha book.

"He's not here again?" Kakashi frowned. Something was wrong. Naruto _never_ missed more than a day of practice. He was too eager to train and master new Jutsus. The famous 'Copy Ninja' put away the orange novel and stood.

"Wait here, Sakura, Sasuke," he ordered his other two Genin students. "I'm going to Naruto's apartment." Sakura 'humphed.'

"It doesn't matter anyway, Kakashi-sensei," she said disdainfully. "He's just a good-for-nothing annoyance. I hate him. It would be good if he just disappeared or died. Right, Sasuke-kun?" she asked her idol, turning adoring eyes on the last Uchiha. Sasuke, as always, ignored the hopeful Sakura.

"Hn." he replied. Kakashi gave the pair one last searching look and then disappeared in a swirl of leaves, appearing directly in front of Naruto's apartment.

Kakashi shook his head. He truly loved Naruto as a son, but the villagers and quite a few of Naruto's fellow ninja, younger and older alike, hated him. Even Kakashi himself had entertained doubts about 'the demon boy' becoming a shinobi, until he met the hyperactive Naruto. He shook his head again. He was ashamed to admit that he had favored Sasuke and Sakura over Naruto at the beginning, but a few months ago, he had come to his senses and tried to make up for it. The shinobi knocked on the door again. No reply. His brow furrowed. Why didn't Naruto answer his door? Was he sick? He immediately dismissed the idea. Naruto never got sick. The only time had had ever missed training for a entire day was after a particularly bad week with Sakura and Sasuke's taunts, when he had gone to the Konoha lake to meditate and comfort himself. A feeling of intense dread began to build up in Kakashi. His instincts were telling him that something was very wrong, that he should check it out as quickly as possible. _'Since I am at his house already, I'll just go inside,'_ he decided. _'Then I'll go to the Konoha lake.'_

With that resolution in mind, Kakashi pried open the door to the apartment and stepped inside. It was deathly quiet.

"Naruto?" Kakashi called. No reply. Then he noticed his surroundings properly, and he knew. He saw it the exact time that he knew. Naruto's house was always a chaotic mess, but it was extremely tidy, and a letter lay on the table on the lobby. Kakashi knew, before he even crossed the room to pick up the letter, that Naruto was gone. His heart sank as he noticed a shiny object under the letter. His hitai-ate. Naruto had rejected Konoha in the most effective way possible. The paper rustled as Kakashi's wobbly fingers fumbled it open. His heart sank more with every word, until a tear rolled down his masked face. _'I'm…..sorry, Naruto'_, he thought in sadness. If only he had seen underneath the underneath, as all excellent shinobi do, to realize earlier that Naruto was not a demon, but just a lonely child with no parents or friends and an entire village of civilians and shinobi who hated him.

Kakashi looked at the letter again, perusing the words written in Naruto's barely legible handwriting. It had been addressed not to him, but to the Sandaime Hokage.

"Old man, I'm sorry, but I have to leave the village, I don't know if I'll be back or when I'll be back. It I have caused you any pain, again I'm sorry, but I couldn't take the hatred any longer.

Naruto."

"I couldn't take the hatred any longer……." The words echoed in Kakashi's head as the masked ninja exited the apartment and headed for the Hokage's tower. _'Where would Naruto have gone? How could he survive? Did he have money, a place to stay?' _Kakashi felt as is his heart was ripping itself apart in grief and remorse. But it was too late. Naruto could be anywhere with the 2 day head-start he had gotten. Kakashi knocked on the Hokage's office door.

"Come in." called the deep voice of the Sandaime Hokage. Kakashi entered, shutting the door quietly behind him. Sarutobi began to smile, but on seeing Kakashi's grave face and manner, instantly sobered and grew alert.

"What is it, Kakashi?" he asked. Kakashi shook his head before wordlessly stepping forward and placing the letter before his superior. The Hokage read the note in silence, then looked up at Kakashi, a small tear making its way down his wrinkled, battle-worn face.

"We've failed miserably, haven't we, Kakashi?" he asked humbly. In answer, a single tear rolled down the face of the usually mysterious, stoic ninja. No words were said; they were not needed. Their grief and remorse was equal. The Hokage shook his head. His burden was even greater than Kakashi's. naruto was not just any kid, like the entire Konoha population thought him to be. He was the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, the Yondaime Hokage and his wife. Only the Sandaime Hokage and Jiraiya of the legendary Sannin three were aware of the SSS-classed secret. And now, he had failed in his promise to Minato. Sarutobi bowed his head in defeat, more tears making tracks down his wrinkled cheeks, and then he looked up at Kakashi.

"I will have to proclaim him a missing-nin, with the rule that they are not allowed to kill him or severely harm him in any way during the retrieval." he said heavily. "Kakashi, you gather the rookies and tell them, they should know. I will look about replacing Naruto on your team." Kakashi bowed.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." he replied, poofing out of the room, reappearing at the training grounds where he had left Sasuke and Sakura. The two Genin in mention turned to face their Jounin-sensei. Sasuke opened his mouth to query Kakashi, but shut it when he saw his teacher's grave expression. Something was wrong, and he had a feeling that it had to do with Naruto. Kakashi spoke to his students.

"Sasuke, Sakura, I want you both to do something for me. Sasuke, you call Team 10 to the training grounds. Sakura, you get Kurenai-sensei's team. I will notify Team Gai. Be back as quickly as possible, it is urgent." Sasuke and Sakura looked with some trepidation at each other as their sensei poofed away, before running to call the various teams of ninja.

Five minutes later, the entire group of Genin teams and senseis had gathered at the training grounds, all in a state of confusion. What could be so important and urgent that Kakashi had had to gather them all here? The man in question soon poofed into existence in front of the puzzled shinobi and kunoichi. Kurenai stepped forward, her beautiful face creased in confusion and bewilderment.

"Kakashi, what-?" she began. Kakashi held up a gloved hand, halting her. He looked around at his fellow ninja before beginning to speak.

"This declaration is from the Sandaime Hokage. Uzumaki Naruto has disappeared and as from now, will be labeled a C-class missing-nin." The reactions of Genin and Jounin were basically alike: complete shock.

"Naruto? No way!" yelled Inuzuka Kiba in complete denial and bewilderment.

"Yeah!" joined in Tenten, Ino and Lee. The Maito Gai miniature look-alike continued his tirade.

"NARUTO-KUN IS THE EPITOME OF YOUTH! HIS BEING OVERFLOWS WITH YOUTHFULNESS! NARUTO WOULD NEVER DO SUCH AN UNYOUTHFUL THING AS LEAVING KONOHA!" The fuzzy-eyebrowed shinobi clung to his teacher, and the other ninja, expecting something horrible, were just able to look away in time. The two males clung to each other, screaming.

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"**SHUT UP!" **yelled the suffering crowd of ninja. Enough was enough. They turned back to Kakashi. Hinata spoke up.

"A-Ano, but N-Naruto-kun wouldn't d-do that," the Hyuuga stuttered timidly, her small face showing her complete trust in the Uzumaki blonde. Kakashi shook his head.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but he really left." The Copy Ninja fished something out of his pocket. "This is his hitai-ate." The group fell silent, the undeniable proof of the hitai-ate before them countering all reasonable arguments they could think of.

"But, but _why_?"said an anguished Kiba. Kakashi shrugged. He knew, but he didn't feel it was his place to disclose that fact. Sakura spoke up, her face filled with triumphant malice.

"Huh. Why are you looking so sad? He did us a favor. That annoying demon brat, I'm glad he's gone. He could be dead for all I care." A shocked silence met her harsh words. Ino stared at her former best friend.

"Why are you saying that, Sakura?" she asked in shock. "He's your teammate; plus he's never done anything bad to you. How could you say that about Naruto?" Sakura wheeled on Ino.

"Shut up!" she screamed. "You're just a stupid demon-lover! What, you _like_ him?" she jeered, seeing Ino's shocked visage. "He's a dead-last, a loser and an idiot. Don't tell me you actually _wanted_ to be his _friend_." Sakura scornfully crossed her arms and looked down her nose at a devastated Ino. Without another word or look to her fellow ninja, Ino turned and walked away, her stomach churning in anger, disappointment and hurt. _How can Sakura be like that? Naruto is not a 'demon-brat'. He's a perfectly normal boy that was unfortunate to have everyone hate him. _He always pretended to be cheerful and annoying, but Ino knew that on the inside, he was crying, his heart and soul were torn to pieces every time someone jeered and taunted him. And now he had left.

A mental image of Naruto's whiskered face swam in front of Ino's eyes and a single tear rolled down her face. She had never told anyone, but she had had a crush on the other blonde ever since her first day at the Academy. She loved everything about Naruto: his spiky-blonde hair that would never be tamed, his determination to protect his precious people, and his endurance of all the hatred aimed at him for an unknown reason. For that reason, Ino never joined in with the other students and teachers in the Academy in taunting him, she couldn't. _Naruto, I will get strong in your memory,_ she vowed. _You may not remember me, if you are alive, but I will remember you always by being as strong as I can, to protect my precious people, just like you did._ The tears were coming faster now, and Ino wiped them hastily away with her arm, and forced herself to stop crying. Naruto was gone, but she could hug his memory close to her heart and grow strong for the boy she loved.

* * *

Naruto's disappearance had shaken the village. Ino was sure that he didn't know how many persons would be affected by his departure. The villagers and many ninja were glad, but other kunoichi and shinobi that knew Naruto were devastated. Team 7 had remained a two-person cell until last week, when a new shinobi joined them. Kagane Yuki. He was exactly like Sasuke in demeanour. He had long silver hair worn in a ponytail with a piece over his left eye, just like Ino, and purple eyes and delicately handsome features. He also had his own fangirl following, of which Ino was not one. As for her, she had taken her vow to heart and begun training rigorously under Asuma-sensei. On the morning after Naruto's departure, she had arrived at the training grounds early to practice her kunai throwing and medical techniques, even going to the library to borrow scrolls on medical Jutsus before returning to the grounds and trying them out. When Asuma-sensei had arrived an hour later with Shikamaru and Chouji a few minutes behind, he thought his team had tricked him with a Genjutsu or henge. But he was soon convinced, and Ino began her first serious training session as a true kunoichi. The blonde stared out her bedroom window, focusing on the stars above. _Naruto……._she thought. _We are seeing the same stars…….under the same sky……I will always love you, and I will become a strong kunoichi in your memory._


	3. Konoha

Konoha

Naruto entered the realtors' building. The blonde shinobi had tired of renting an apartment and decided to find a home for himself, a place that he could proudly call his own. As the door closed behind the Jinchuuriki, the realtor at the desk looked up. Naruto approached him, slightly unsure as to what to do.

"Ohaiyo," greeted the realtor. Naruto nodded in reply.

"Ohaiyo." he answered. The realtor smiled.

"And how may I help you -?" Naruto filled in the obvious blank.

"Akuma." The realtor nodded in acknowledgement and continued.

"How may I help you, Akuma-san?" Naruto took a breath.

"I would like a house to purchase. Not too far from the town, but yet not too near to the border, with sizeable grounds and at least two bedrooms." The realtor smiled in delight.

"I have just the house for you then, Akuma-san," he said enthusiastically. "I will come with you immediately to give you the tour." The realtor came around the desk and gestured for Naruto to precede him out the building. He closed and locked the door, then began walking down the street. Naruto followed, and the two males walked in silence until they came to the edge of the village. The realtor turned off onto a small, sheltered road, barely visible to the ignorant passerby.

"The only thing this road leads to is the house," said the realtor, in a professional, sales-mode tone. "It is in complete privacy, Akuma-san." Naruto nodded in approval. Privacy was exactly what he needed; a place to train in peace and secrecy. He would probably put a Genjutsu on the house or something if he bought it, so that ninja having Doujutsu with similar properties to the Sharingan or Byakugan would have no success in seeing inside.

Their footsteps crunched over the dry leaves on the stone pathway as the realtor led his customer up to the house. They turned a few corners, and then came to a halt.

"Here we are!" announced the realtor chirpily. Naruto could only stare. The house was perfect. It reminded him somewhat of the main house on the Hyuuga compound, except that it was exceedingly more beautiful. Exotic flowers and giant oaks lined the garden and an elaborate, elegant koi pond, complete with masterfully constructed bamboo fountain and lilies, graced a corner of the property. Birds of all sizes, kinds and colors flitted from tree to tree, calling greetings to each other. The realtor turned to his customer.

"Let us go inside, Akuma-san," he said, smiling pleasantly.

Naruto numbly followed the man along the pathway and through the door of the dream house. As they surveyed the building, Naruto knew it was perfect. He decided to contact Kyuubi, knowing that the demon could see everything through his own eyes.

'_Whatcha think, Kyuubi?'_ he asked his demon inhabitant.

"**You should get the house, kit. It is a great investment.**" the fox recommended.

'_Yeah, I know, it's perfect.'_ replied Naruto. It was true. The house was perfect in every way. It had three bedrooms, a bare room that could be converted to a training room if he wished; a spacious kitchen, study/library, dining room, and party room, plus a balcony with a wonderful sunset and sunrise view. Naruto turned to the ecstatic realtor.

"I'll take it," he said coolly. The realtor's eyes gleamed, and Naruto could almost hear the cogs of his brains working furiously as they added up a profitable figure for the house.

"Hai, Akuma-san, arigatou gozaimasu. We should probably head back to my office now to complete the transaction and paperwork."

Naruto and the realtor left the house and headed back to the realtor's office. The man went quickly around to his desk.

"Have a seat please, Akuma-san," he requested politely, gesturing to a wooden chair in front of his desk. He waited until Naruto sat, then seated himself.

"The price is 1,000,000 ryo." Without hesitation, Naruto drew out a chequebook and signed his name, the date and amount before handing it over to the realtor. He didn't need to worry about verifying the cheque, he had never banked money in Konoha, instead saving it in a scroll that he carried with him at all times. When he got to Kumo, he banked it. In return, the realtor filled out the property deeds, land titles, and other legal documents, and gave them to Naruto, along with the house key. As he took the key, Naruto reminded himself to have the locks changed. You could never be too careful.

"Thank you for your business, Akuma-san," said the courteous realtor, bowing him out. Naruto raised a hand in acknowledgement and continued down the street. He had some house furnishing to do.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Naruto managed to furnish his new house to his satisfaction. He had even gone back to the ninja weaponry shop and purchased quite a few items to properly outfit his training room, and stock his supplies closet. He had also placed the Doujutsu-repelling Genjutsu he had created on the house. It would do to have any shinobi or kunoichi spying on him.

As the weeks lengthened into months, Naruto became a known figure in the streets of Kumogakure. Most ninja knew to leave him alone, knowing that he preferred solitude, but the children also knew that he would not be unfriendly to them and greeted him cheerily when he passed. Naruto, or Akuma Hiai as he was known in Kumogakure, had quite a following of fangirls. He had never been so glad for the Genjutsu as he had been the morning when he woke up to find almost all of Kumogakure's kunoichi endeavoring to see through his walls with Doujutsu-similar binoculars and telescopes.

Naruto had begun a rigorous training regimen the week after he moved in, and even worked on the Chakra Separation Seal in his free moments. Sometimes he took on missions within Kumogakure, for example, escorting extremely important personnel and once, to test the Kumogakure's Chuunin shinobi before they left for the Jounin exams in Konohagakure. Naruto had managed to master the Odama Rasengan, the Kokuangyo no Jutsu, and the Shunshin no Jutsu, and, in addition to the Chakra Separation Seal, begun work on a jutsu he called Hiraishin no Jutsu.

Basically, it was an updated version of the Shunshin. He had gone to the blacksmith's to get him to create some special seal-absorbent kunai that he had design specifically for the Hiraishin technique. When Naruto had informed Kyuubi of the technique, Kyuubi had acted strangely. For the first time since Naruto had known the demon, it had actually looked shocked, and even a little intimidated. He had muttered something about "**Like father....son,**" but Naruto didn't quite catch it, and Kyuubi stubbornly refused to repeat it. He didn't press the matter; he was too busy training and developing new techniques, mastering others he already knew, and trying to raise his chakra level so he didn't have to rely on Kyuubi's power. According to Kyuubi, his current chakra level was about equal to three and a half tails of Kyuubi's own chakra. But Naruto knew that it wasn't enough; he wanted to be strong with his own chakra. He would only use the demon's chakra in desperate situations. Or, maybe, never again; he could actually _feel_ his chakra reserves growing with each month that passed.

* * *

In no time at all, two years had passed, and Naruto had not left Kumogakure, nor had he heard anything of a missing-nin named Uzumaki Naruto. All was well. The blonde shinobi stretched in his large, luxurious bed and padded barefoot to the adjoining bathroom to clean up before the day's training. Naruto stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, marveling at the changes that had hit his body as soon as he became 12. His golden-blonde hair had grown quite a bit over the past two years; the front side bangs not quite reaching his chin, and the whisker-marks had partially faded. His eyes now had a more feline slant to them, and he had overheard on kunoichi fangirl describing them as "smoky blue bedroom eyes." He also had a fairly muscular physique from all the training Kyuubi put him through. His eyes moved to the black bracelets around each forearm and wrist and ankle, each weighing 150 pounds. There were 6 in total, so that meant that he was wearing…..900 pounds?!?!? He had never really thought about it before. He dismissed the thought, and continued his lazy perusal of the changes his body had experienced. His body had experienced a major growth spurt sometime last year. He had shot up from about 4"6' to about 5'0", now on the taller end of the male height scale for his age. He had also progressed by leaps and bounds in his training, and the shinobi that now stood before the mirror was a far cry from the lost little boy who left Konohagakure at daybreak 2 years ago. His chakra had also grown. Now he had about five tails' worth if his chakra was measured against Kyuubi's; and it was still growing.

His thoughts were interrupted by Kyuubi himself.

"**Kit, you should leave and search out Kana,**" said Kyuubi to his host. Naruto raised his eyebrow.

'_Kana? Isn't that the famous sword master? Is that what made you so silent for the past week?_' To be frank, Naruto had been not a little puzzled and worried at the demon's uncharacteristic silence over the past week. He knew Kana; he would not be worthy of wielding his kodachi if he didn't. Kana was the shinobi world's greatest swordsman ever; Kyuubi had told his host many stories and legends of the famous shinobi. Now he was telling Naruto to seek him out?

'_Why?_' asked Naruto. Kyuubi growled in exasperation.

"**I can only teach you so much, you know,**" he explained. "**I'm a fox demon, not a sword master. I want you to search him out; as you know, he has not been seen since about 15 years ago, just before you were born. You need to fully master your kodachi.**"

'_Oh, okay then._' replied Naruto. He thought for a while. When should he leave?

"**Why not today?**" suggested Kyuubi.

'_Today?'_ repeated Naruto thoughtfully. He pondered the idea before shrugging in acquiescence. He didn't have any missions, and his training was such that he could still do it whilst travelling; plus he hadn't left Kumogakure in 2 years. He knew no one from Konohagakure would recognize either him or his chakra signature; he had changed too much. So why not?

'_Okay. I'll go today. But I'll need to notify the Raikage.'_ he replied to his demon.

The blonde shinobi packed some rations in a scroll, along with extra clothing, weapons and medical items such as various antidotes, and bandages. He didn't really need them, because of Kyuubi; but the demon had begun training his body to heal without the aid of Kyuubi's chakra, just in case, and it was always handy to have the bandages if someone else hurt themselves. Naruto sat down to a healthy breakfast of rice balls and fish – he had lost his obsessions with ramen sometime during the beginning of his growth spurt – then made his way out of his house, and to the Raikage's tower, greeting some persons as he went, and keeping a wary eye out for rabid fangirls.

It didn't take long to notify the Raikage, and 20 minutes later, Naruto was exiting the village gates. He nodded to the two Jounin guarding the gates and began his trek into the borders to Amegakure no sato, where Kana had passed through before going to Iwagakure, as rumored. Naruto calculated in his head. He didn't know where or if he was going to find the swords master, but he would stop in Amegakure before Iwa to refresh himself, as the journey to Amegakure from Kumogakure was about 5 days long.

The young shinobi travelled steadily for the rest of the day without any interruptions; he had seen a few shinobi, but none recognized him, and he made no threatening move towards them, so they passed in curious silence and all was well. Naruto made a detour off of the well-travelled road, going into the trees on the side of the road to set up camp. He needed to be alert if he was attacked, and sleep was essential. The shinobi made a small fire, took out his sleeping bag, and dropped into a blissful sleep as soon as his body relaxed.

'_G'night, Kyuubi.'_ he addressed his demon inhabitant.

"**Night.**" replied Kyuubi vaguely.

* * *

The sun's warmth on his body woke the sleeping Naruto. The blonde's blue eyes cracked open and he sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His body soon awakened, and Naruto folded the sleeping bag and secured it in its former position on his backpack. His breakfast was a quick affair, and he washed his face with a handful of water before shouldering his backpack and stretching. He was ready for his second day of travel.

Naruto's blonde locks whipped about his face with the force of the wind as he sped noiselessly through the branches of trees, his booted feet barely leaving a trace as they touched down occasionally on each branch. As on the previous day, Naruto travelled for a lengthy period before seeing anyone. It was around mid-day before Naruto's sharp eyes caught sight of a group of ninja.

'_Ninja up ahead, Kyuubi,'_ he told the demon.

"**Just greet them and be on your way.**" replied the fox. Naruto sent back a vague affirmative. His attention had been garnered by a kunoichi in the group ahead. It looked almost like one of his former Konohagakure acquaintances – was it Ino? If it was Ino, then the group was most likely Team 10. The blonde shinobi's eyes flicked quickly over the ninja as he passed, nodding to Asuma as he went. His azure eyes rested on Ino briefly before Ino refocused on the path ahead and left them behind.

'_Wow, was that Ino?'_ he thought in surprise. She had obviously grown much stronger. He was surprised: he never thought Ino would become as strong as she obviously was now. She was also more beautiful, if that was possible. Naruto chuckled suddenly to himself. He bet Shikamaru was racking his brain for facts about him; he wasn't in the bingo book, he knew, and this would be the first time anyone outside Kumogakure would be seeing him. He hadn't left the village for two years.

'_Have fun figuring me out, Shikamaru,' _thought Naruto amusedly, as he picked up his speed slightly. Little did he know, Shikamaru was indeed trying to figure him out.

* * *

The Konoha group watched as the black-clad shinobi passed them at an almost inhuman speed, his figure rapidly diminishing in the distance before disappearing completely. Ino watched until she could see no more, and then turned to their team leader, Sarutobi Asuma.

"Asuma-sensei, who was that shinobi that just passed?" she asked. Her sensei shrugged.

"I don't know, Ino, but he seemed to know us."

"Yeah," mumbled Shikamaru. "And whoever he was, he was extremely strong. Couldn't you feel it, Asuma-sensei?" Their sensei nodded.

"Yes, Shikamaru. He was probably about 2 times stronger than myself." The three Genin gaped. Asuma was an extremely strong shinobi; he had a bounty of 35,000,000 ryo on his head. To be acknowledged as stronger than him, hell, _2_ times stronger than him, was no small feat.

"Wow," said Chouji in an awed tone, voicing their similar thoughts. "I guess he really is strong." The team continued in silence, until Shikamaru addressed his team leader again.

"Asuma-sensei, did you see a hitai-ate anywhere on that shinobi?" Their sensei pondered the question for a moment before attempting to answer.

"No, I didn't. Why?" he queried his genius student.

"Well, I looked him up in the bingo book, because such an obviously strong shinobi would be wanted by _someone_, but I didn't see a thing. And then when I thought back to when we saw him, I noticed that his hitai-ate was nowhere in sight. Plus, we don't know either his facial features or his fighting style. In short, we know nothing at all about that shinobi, and that is dangerous, since he is so strong." Asuma listened to his student's logical explanation and then replied,

"You're right, Shikamaru, knowing nothing at all about such an obviously strong shinobi is dangerous. But, one thing I can say, he is not from Konoha; his chakra signature is not even remotely familiar." Shikamaru nodded, and then continued his query.

"Then why did he look at us as if he knew us?" Their sensei shook his head. "I don't know, Shikamaru, I don't know." A contemplative silence fell over the group as they travelled. Who was that shinobi and how did he know them?

* * *

Naruto slowed his pace as he glimpsed the large iron-wrought gates of Amegakure no sato. He would stop here for a night to refresh himself. The blonde shinobi signed the ninja register handed to him by the Ame Jounin guarding the gates, and entered the busy village, mingling into the crowd easily. Naruto looked around. Now, where was a hotel to stay for the night? Or even an inn, he wasn't all that picky. His head swiveled from side to side as he walked amidst the throngs of passersby, searching for a place to rest. Then his eyes lit on a comfortable-looking nin.

_Finally!_ he thought, slightly exasperated.

Naruto walked into the inn, and requested a single room. The pretty young woman at the desk gave him a starry-eyed look before handing him the key to his room and informing him of the price for a night's stay with entirely too much gusto. The blonde groaned. _Not another fangirl, _he thought, in mental anguish. Kyuubi chuckled, the sound reverberating in Naruto's mind.

"**Guess you're just a babe magnet, huh kit?**" he asked amusedly. Naruto growled mentally and took the key from the star-struck girl, bestowing a drool-worthy smile on her before heading towards his designated room. He _really _couldn't wait to get some sleep. Five days of travelling plus heavy training was no small feat, even for a Jinchuuriki. Naruto entered the room noiselessly before shedding his backpack and shoes. Then he lay down on the comfortable futon and immediately felt himself beginning to drift off into sleep. Just before he succumbed to the blackness, he tried to memorize the inn's name for future reference. _What was it?_ His frown cleared as his brain supplied him with the answer. _Oasis of Rest._

* * *

Asuma and Team 10 drew closer and closer to the gates of Amegakure, their steps unconsciously quickening at the thought of a warm futon and some rest. Konohagakure was always sunny and warm, and so the Konoha team was unused to the damp, cold, bleak climate that defined Amegakure no sato. Five days of barely interrupted travelling in unfamiliar climate had taken its toll on each ninja, and now all they wanted was to rest. Asuma signed the register, and each ninja followed suit, before the Ame Jounin waved them through the gates. Once inside, Asuma began walking purposefully into the heart of the town, brushing shoulders with many passersby in the crush of villagers.

"Where are we going, Asuma-sensei?" shouted Chouji over the noise of the villagers. Asuma shook his head at Chouji and the large boy fell silent, understanding and heeding his sensei's warning to keep silent. He motioned for them to follow him, then took a sharp right turn and continued walking until he came to a halt in front of a comfortable-looking inn called the "Oasis of Rest".

"This is one of the best inns in Amegakure," announced Asuma. "Many ninja stay here. Come, let's secure our rooms. Shikamaru and Chouji, you two will share, whilst Ino and myself will have separate rooms." The pre-teen Genin nodded in acceptance and understanding. With that said, Asuma led the way into the inn and over to the female receptionist. Giving Asuma a flirty glance and Ino a dark one, she spoke.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Asuma mentally rolled his eyes. Tch. _Fangirl._ he thought.

"I want three rooms two with one bed each, and the third with two separate beds."

"No problem." the girl assured him. Asuma signed the register and waited for her to tell him the total.

"Here you go-"she checked the register "-Asuma-san," she said, giving him the keys. "The price is 5,000 ryo."Asuma drew out his wallet and paid the woman, then distributed the keys amongst his students. Then they all ascended to their rooms for some much-needed rest.

* * *

Naruto strapped his kodachi onto his back and picked up his backpack.

'_Alright, I'm just going to get some barbeque, then head out again for Iwagakure no sato,'_ he said to Kyuubi.

"**Just don't take too long,**" cautioned Kyuubi. "**People, meaning other shinobi, are bound to notice you because of your strength, so you might be challenged or something like that. Be careful.**"

'_Uh-huh.'_ replied Naruto, heading down the inn's stairs as he conversed with his demonic inhabitant. He signed the register again, ignoring the flirtatious gesture and coy, fluttering lashes of the fangirl receptionist. Then he left the inn and made his way to a barbeque stand he had seen the night before. Feeling ravenous and rather well-rested, Naruto ordered 2 full plates of the excellent barbeque and devoured them with gusto.

He exited the shop over an hour and a half later. As he entered the street, he espied the same team of Konoha Genin and sensei that he had encountered at the beginning of his travels. Against his will, he found his eyes drawn to the blond. Ino. A feeling of intense sadness washed over him as he watched her laughing happily with her two teammates, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji. Naruto had never actually known them, apart from being aware of their names and which team they were on. Even though he had a crush on Ino, he didn't know her; he had never even really spoken to her. Naruto's eyes moved to the two boys. They, like him, had grown a lot. Akimichi Chouji was even bigger, but the 'fat' of his younger years had translated to pure muscle, and his large form drew many awed looks from passing females. His formerly short, rust-red hair had grown out, and now resembled his father's, its spiky length brushing the middle of his back. He also wielded a wooden staff. Something told Naruto that the wooden staff was not entirely as it seemed. His eyes shifted to Nara Shikamaru, and his eyes widened in shock. If not for the obvious youthfulness of his face a lack of a beard, Naruto would've mistaken him for his father. A cigarette hung lazily from the corner of his mouth, and his body was relaxed, but Naruto knew that his piercing grey eyes were taking in everything around him. Naruto sighed, and his eyes returned to Ino. She was breathtakingly beautiful. The blond male had harbored a crush on the Yamanaka ever since the first day at the Academy. He still remembered it vividly.

"_Demon boy!"_

"_Don't come near me! I don't want to sit by you!"_

"_Go to your seat, Uzumaki!" The harsh, strident tones of Umino Iruka, his Academy teacher, cut through the jeers and taunts of the young boy's tormentors. Pained azure eyes looked up at his teacher before the eight-year old walked slowly to an empty seat at the center of the classroom. The seats around it were all deserted; no one wanted to sit near him, let alone beside him. Iruka's hard gaze followed him until he sat, then the teacher surveyed the classroom, his eyes softening as they landed on various students._

"_My name is Umino Iruka, and I will be your Academy teacher until you graduate and become Genin. Is that clear?"_

"_Yes, sensei," chorused the class. Iruka nodded._

"_Alright, now be good, I have to deliver your student forms to the principal." The teacher left the classroom, closing the door behind him. As soon as he left, the jeers and taunts began again, all focused at Naruto. The girls giggled and whispered behind their hands, shooting him venomous glances every once in a while. One pink-haired girl was the meanest._

"_Demon-boy! What are you doing in a classroom? Shouldn't you be off dying somewhere?" The class laughed heartily at her cruel words. Naruto's gaze met the pinkette's and moved away to the long-haired blonde beside her. She didn't look at him, instead, tugged on the pinkette's blouse, smiling triumphantly._

"_Sakura? Sakura? __**Forehead!**__" she yelled when Sakura ignored her. The pinkette turned away from tormenting Naruto and faced the other girl._

"_What?!?!?" she said aggressively. It didn't bother the blonde. She grinned even more._

"_Sasuke-kun looked at me! He likes __**me **__more than __**you**__!" Sakura let out a shriek of fangirl fury and the two girls battled it out with insults until the other fangirls realized what they were arguing about and joined the disagreement, screaming about 'Sasuke-kun'. Naruto couldn't tear his eyes away from the blonde. She was so pretty. Suddenly, she looked straight at him, and he flinched, ready to receive a cruel smirk and rude comment, but she smiled, a small, beautiful smile, and he realized. She had distracted Sakura from tormenting him. The small blonde boy smiled tentatively back and they both turned away before they were caught. Then Iruka came back, scowling at Naruto, and his hell of a life began again. But he never forgot Ino, or that moment._

Naruto came back to the present. He sighed again. That was why he had had a crush on her for so long. But she didn't like him romantically; she didn't even notice him, her attention was all on 'Sasuke-kun.' The blonde shinobi looked back at the team. He had unconsciously followed them into a slightly seedy part of town. Then a cry rang out, and his eyes widened, and he shifted into full attack mode, becoming the dangerous shinobi he was. They had been attacked. Three shinobi had accosted the team, one occupying both Shikamaru and Chouji and the second, obviously the leader, Asuma. The third one had thrown a bucking Ino over his shoulder, bound her hands and ankles with chakra rope, and sped away. Naruto frowned. That shinobi was not getting away. Maybe if it was Sakura, but not Ino. Naruto left the shadows he had been in, and sped after the ninja, vaulting rooftops and walls as he pursued the kidnapper. Within minutes, he had caught up to the ninja.

* * *

Ino's eyes widened as she recognized the shinobi pursuing them. It seemed that her kidnapper also realized, because he stopped and placed her on the ground behind him, drawing a kodachi. The other shinobi didn't hesitate at the sight of the kidnapper's weapon, instead, he drew out one of his own, and the two began to spar, kodachis clashing hard enough to create sparks. Ino took the chance to study her kidnapper and would-be savior. She looked at the kidnapper first; she might have to identify him if he was apprehended. His appearance was that of a missing-nin. The first thing she noticed was his clothing and lack of hitai-ate, combined with his menacing aura. He had bright orange hair, and wore a blue wide-collared shirt, with blue arm-warmers, knee-length loose pants with bandages calves and dark blue shinobi sandals. He wielded his sword expertly, but he was obviously no match for the other shinobi. Ino's gaze moved to the other ninja, recognition dawning in her eyes again. It was that same shinobi she saw on the way to Amegakure, she was sure. He was _hot._

Bright, spiky blonde hair spilled over the sides of his face and down the nape of his neck, and a black silken cloth graced his forehead instead of a hitai-ate. She frowned slightly. Did that mean he was a missing-nin? This was the second time she was seeing him, and she had yet to see any trace of a hitai-ate, even a scarred one. She continued to peruse the unknown shinobi. He wore a black cloak which fluttered every time he moved; a mesh undershirt just barely visible through the flaps of the cloak, black shinobi pants and a pair of obviously expensive leather shinobi boots. His hands were covered in black fingerless gloves and metal knuckles. The skin of his face was tanned – well, the small amounts that she could see, since he wore a face mask that covered everything except his azure eyes.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of running footsteps behind her, and she tensed and spun, but relaxed when she saw the other members of her team. They all looked relieved to see her unhurt, but then looked shocked when they recognized the shinobi fighting her kidnapper.

"Him again?" asked Chouji in amazement. "Is that weird or what?" They murmured words of general agreement, and then Ino turned to Asuma.

"Asuma-sensei, I have a feeling that he is a missing-nin himself. Even now I haven't seen a hitai-ate, and I got closer than before."Asuma nodded thoughtfully. He had come to that conclusion himself before. But there was still one question. How did he know them? Ino looked away from her sensei and re-focused on the battle. She gaped. It was over?!?!? The kidnapper was lying on the ground bleeding profusely from a fatal would. Her savior walked over to the team.

"Did you get any information on these shinobis' identities?" he asked. Ino shuddered mentally. His voice was deep and smooth. Asuma nodded, and shifted his cigarette so he could speak clearly.

"That one is Fuso, the other two were Aito and Suigite. All missing-nin from Iwagakure no sato. B-class." The stranger nodded and began to turn away, but Asuma's voice stopped him.

"Thank you - "he paused, waiting for identification. The stranger half-turned away before filling in the blank.

"Akuma Hiai. You are welcome." Then he walked away at a sedate pace, quickly blending into the crowd of villagers who had gathered at the scene, leaving them to look after him in puzzlement. Asuma looked at the three Genin.

"Well, are we ready to leave?" They nodded, and Team 10 set out for Iwagakure. They had a mission there; to protect the daimyo. It was a B-class mission, and the sooner they got there, the better.

* * *

Naruto's tense body relaxed as he disappeared into the crowd of excited villagers. He let a grim smile spread across his masked face at the thought of the dead shinobi who had attempted to kidnap Ino. It disappeared, however, when he realized how stupid he had been. _Kuso!_ he cursed mentally. _Now Asuma's curious about me. I bet the next bingo book will have an Akuma Hiai in it._

"**Exactly, kit.**" said Kyuubi wryly. "**At least they didn't recognize you. But they **_**are**_** curious as to how you seem to know them.**" Naruto cursed again. He was so stupid. The blonde's body tensed again when a shinobi suddenly appeared in front of him.

"The daimyo would like to see you, shinobi-san," he related politely. Naruto mentally groaned. What was it with him and daimyos? Wordlessly, he followed the shinobi messenger to the daimyo's office. The daimyo met him at the door.

"Come in – "he paused, realizing that he had no name for the shinobi that stood before him.

"Akuma Hiai," filled in Naruto. The daimyo nodded.

"Come in, Akuma-san." Naruto followed the man into the comfortable office, sitting down on one of the many embroidered chairs in the room. After settling himself, the daimyo began.

"I would like to reward you, Akuma-san," he began. Naruto's eyes grew more alert, and he scanned the daimyo. He didn't seem like a threat. The daimyo was obviously a former shinobi gone to seed. He wore civilians' clothing under his green robes. He was of average height, and slightly pudgy. His short black hair was neatly cut, and a small black beard was on his chin. Piercing blue eyes stared at Naruto.

"My name is Garaki Naro."

Naruto nodded, noticing a piercing on his left ear. Maybe he should get one. He considered it more seriously. He would get one.

"**Pay attention!**" yelled Kyuubi from inside Naruto's mindscape. Naruto refocused and began to listen.

"-they were shinobi that plagued this village for 5 years. We hired countless shinobi to kill them, but they never ever survived against them. That is why I wish to give you this." The daimyo held out a medium-sized scroll. Naruto reached out and took it, looking at it with slight suspicion.

"**You can open it,**" said Kyuubi. "**They don't know you're a Jinchuuriki, so anything that might be dangerous to a normal person would not affect you.**"Naruto deftly opened the scroll, and his eyes widened. The daimyo smiled.

"Yes, it is the summoning contract for ravens. It has not been used since the death of my brother, the famous 'Raven Ryuu.'" Naruto began to hand it back, but the daimyo stopped him.

"No, keep it. I understand that you are a missing-nin, but I have powers of intuition, a gift I was born with. I can feel that you are not the usual missing-nin. Take it." Naruto reluctantly put the scroll in his backpack. Then he and the daimyo rose to their feet. Naruto bowed.

"Arigatou Gozaimasu, Garaki-san." The daimyo smiled in response.

"You are welcome." The two men walked to the door of the building, and the daimyo saw the blonde out the door.

Naruto walked down the street, looking for a certain place. The blonde walked from street to street, until he found the place he was looking for. He glanced up at the sign and nodded in satisfaction. 'Shinobi Piercings.' That was the name of the shop. He stepped inside, blinding as his eyes refocused in the darker interior of the shop. A young woman came out from the back of the shop and smiled brightly at him, fangirl sparkles fully activated.

"Yes sir?" she asked, eager to help the handsome male standing before her.

"My name is Akuma Hiai. I would like two piercings on my right ear." The girl busily wrote down his name and specification, and then looked up.

"What kind of piercings, Akuma-san?" Naruto thought for a while, and then decided.

"Two small hoops." The female nodded, and then gestured to the room she had exited earlier.

"Come, Akuma-san, our piercer is behind here." Naruto followed the girl behind the counter and into a white room. It was clearly very sanitary. All the piercing tools shone and glimmered in the sunlight from the window and the light bulb on the ceiling. A man, dressed similarly to a medic in a long white coat and pants, was standing by the only chair in the room. He bowed slightly to Naruto.

"My name is Kusaka; you are to be pierced, correct?"

"Hai." Naruto replied in the affirmative. The girl gave Kusaka the paper she had been writing on and exited the room quietly. Kusaka read the paper and then motioned for Naruto to sit on the chair.

"This paper says you would like two small hoops on your right ear?" Naruto nodded in answer, and Kusaka smiled.

"Well then, let's begin."

The piercer made Naruto lean to his left, exposing his ear. Then he attacked a small iron hoop onto the piercing machine he held in his hands and brought it to the rim of Naruto's ear. The shinobi braced himself for the pain. Since the hole had to stay, Kyuubi could not heal it, and so he would have to bear the pain. He heard the sound of the machine being clicked into place, and then suddenly felt an awful stinging sensation on his ear, twice. The blonde flinched, and then relaxed as the piercer's presence withdrew.

"Finished!" said Kusaka brightly. "You were a brave one, I must say. Take a look." He turned the chair, angling the blonde's head slightly, so Naruto could see his newly pierced organ. A smile spread over Naruto's masked face, and his eyes crinkled; a telltale sign of his pleasure. He straightened his head, and a lock of sun-kissed hair fell onto his ear, partially obscuring the piercing. He nodded mentally. Good- one less thing to identify him.

"Arigatou Gozaimasu, Kusaka-san," he said to the piercer, handing him 1,000 ryo. "I like it very much."

"No problem!" beamed Kusaka. "You can just go through the same door you came in." Naruto nodded and exited the stark white room. When the receptionist saw Naruto and his new piercing, she turned a cherry red. Kyuubi snickered, and Naruto stared.

"**The fangirls seem to like the piercing,**" the demon fox snickered. Naruto growled.

'_Shut up.'_ He returned his attention to the fangirl. She had not yet recovered. Naruto looked at her incredulously, and then left the piercer's, picking up speed as he vaulted from rooftop to rooftop. He was leaving Amegakure no sato now; he had delayed too much. The shinobi passed through the large iron-wrought gates and began to move faster, running at an almost inhuman pace. He had to get a start on his travels.


	4. Finding Kana

Finding Kana

Naruto sped through the trees, conversing with Kyuubi as he went. The wind rushed through his unruly sun-kissed locks and buffeted his still slightly-sore ear, as he leapt from branch to branch. The young shinobi had been travelling for four days nonstop now, ever since he left Amegakure, just like before, he encountered shinobi, but passed then without incident in the first three days of his travels. But he had yet to see any human being for today. Naruto swiftly considered his current strength. He was beginning to tire; he had not slept for 3 days running. He should probably stop and rest.

"**Damn right,**" interjected Kyuubi.

'_Oh shut up,'_ retorted Naruto rudely. The shinobi espied a small clearing to the right, and he slowed down enough to turn and land in the center of the clearing. It was perfect. A line of shrubs prevented him from being seen easily from any direction.

Naruto squatted on the hard ground and rested his backpack and kodachi in front of him. This would be the perfect time to work on his Chakra Separation Seal, and maybe even the Hiraishin no Jutsu. Kyuubi suddenly spoke up.

"**You should contact the leader of the ravens from the contract the Ame daimyo gave you.**" he recommended. "**And, while you're at it, I also have one for you. This will summon foxes. I will have to help you create it; this is the first time that any shinobi will have the power to summon foxes.**" Naruto's eyes widened in surprised.

'_How come?'_ he questioned.

"**Well, I am the King of the Bijuu, and thus I would need someone **_**worthy **_**to be out summons. Also, foxes are reclusive animals, and so shinobi would not come into contact with them enough to even consider a summoning contract with them. And, especially in Konoha, foxes are not liked.**"

'_Ah, I see._' replied Naruto. He drew out a large, blank scroll and his reed pen. _'Kyuubi, are you ready to create the summoning contract?'_

"**Yes.**" replied the demon. "**You don't need the pen, except to sign your name. Just focus some of my chakra to your palm and place your palm on the scroll. That should automatically create the summoning contract needed.**" Naruto did as Kyuubi had ordered and nodded in satisfaction when the familiar terms of a summoning contract appeared on the scroll. Then he took the red pen and signed his name with a flourish, then cut his dominant hand, in the case, his right hand, and smeared the blood all over it, before making the print directly under his signature. Without preamble, he focused some of his chakra to the palm of his hand, before making a few hand seals and slamming it into the ground next to him. With a sudden poof, Naruto found himself facing a huge paw. He followed the leg attached to the paw to see a huge jaw. It was a gigantic fox, as big as a small mountain.

"**He is my first subordinate,**" informed Kyuubi. The huge fox looked down at Naruto in some surprise.

"How did you summon me? Have you a summoning contract, and how did you get it? Tell me!" There was definite anger in the deep, gruff voice.

"**Let me speak,**" requested Kyuubi.

'_Sure._' replied Naruto. He concentrated and touched Kyuubi's chakra, bringing it to the forefront of his consciousness. Kyuubi took over.

Naruto's eyes closed and reopened. When they flashed back open, they were blood-red with slit pupils. Kyuubi/Naruto jumped into a tree opposite the fox and sat down.

"Who are you?" rumbled the fox again.

"**I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune, King of the Bijuu and inhabitant of this human, Uzumaki Naruto.**" The fox's eyes widened in shock and surprise.

"Forgive me, Kyuubi-sama. I was not aware that the boy was your host. I suppose you provided him with the contract?" Kyuubi nodded Naruto's head.

"**Correct, Mandara. This is the first time for us foxes, is it not? But I have deemed this human worthy of our summons. Please send my greetings to my subordinates. This body is weak, and cannot tolerate my demonic presence.**"

"Yes, Kyuubi-sama," said Mandara. The huge black fox waited until Naruto repossessed his body, then spoke.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you are our first summons. We kitsune are incredibly loyal creature, and because of your connection to Kyuubi-sama, we are bound to you for life. Please feel free to summon any one of us if you should need us."

"Thank you, Mandara." Naruto said to the black fox. "I shall endeavour to do my best in regards to your summons." The fox inclined his head slightly, and then poofed away.

'_Thanks, Kyuubi,'_ Naruto said to his inhabitant.

"**No problem,**" replied the demon. "**Use the ravens' contract now.**"

Naruto drew out the other large scroll. Unfurling it, he placed it on the ground, picked up his reed pen and signed his name under the only other summons there, Ryuu, or 'Raven Ryuu', then used his blood again to make a hand print below his signature. The daimyo had told the truth. The scroll had not been used since the death of his brother. Again, Naruto made the appropriate hand seals before focusing a large amount of chakra to his hand and slamming it into the ground, thinking of a raven as he did so. Just as before, a 'poof' was heard, and he found himself face to face with a great specimen of the raven he had thought of whilst summoning.

"What does thou want with myself, human?" asked the huge bird in a slightly croaky voice. His yellow eyes focused on Naruto, and it sniffed the air in disdain.

"The air dost reek of fox. Art thou my summons?"

"Yes." replied Naruto. "As you might know, Ryuu, your previous summons, is dead; has been for at least 10 years. This contract was entrusted to his brother, who in turn gave it to me. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, former Konohagakure shinobi." The raven looked at Naruto with new respect.

"So that is the reason why I have not seen Ryuu for so long," it commented, then continued. "Uzumaki Naruto, thou art the current summons. Use our services well. My name is Karan, and I am the leader of Ravens." Naruto bowed.

"Thank you for your acceptance, Karan-san. I will endeavour to be as good a summons as possible." The raven looked at Naruto through beady eyes and ruffled midnight feathers slightly, and then nodded, as if satisfied, and poofed away. Naruto collapsed to the ground.

'_Wow, that really depleted my chakra supply,'_ he said to Kyuubi.

"**Well, that is to be expected,**" said Kyuubi in reply. "**You are lucky to be still conscious, let alone with chakra left; most shinobi would've fainted by now.**" The demon paused, then continued.

"**I want to add something to your training. Gather chakra to your feet, just as if you are about to walk on water, and attempt to walk in the air. It may help you if you circulate the chakra on the soles of your feet. This will be hard, but not too hard, as you are already wind-natured. When you are able to stand, try to walk.**" Naruto sighed. His training was already rigorous; now this? However, he did as he was told, and began pushing chakra to his feet, circulating it as Kyuubi suggested. To his surprise, he almost immediately began rising in the air.

'_I did it,'_ he said to Kyuubi. The demon grunted in approval.

"**Very good, although it will be easier for you now that your chakra stores have depleted – there is less to control. Now, try walking.**" Naruto focused again, and put one foot before the other, taking a tentative step. When he remained steady, he took another step, and another, until he was walking normally. Then he stopped to talk to Kyuubi, but when he stopped, he lost concentration and began sinking back to the ground. Kyuubi chuckled.

"**Don't worry, you will practice walking and standing using your wind chakra until it becomes second nature and feels more natural than walking on the ground. Oh, and I want you to increase your gravity seals by 50 pounds each.**" Naruto groaned. 50 pounds each, that was an extra 200 pounds, and added to his current 900 pounds, would make a total of 1100 pounds. He adjusted the weights as he was told, and then did a few exercises to get his body adjusted to the extra weight. Naruto drew out a kunai and threw it at a random tree. His aim was perfect, and the speed of his throw was just a little slower than was normal for him. Then he sprang into motion, kicking the tree with one foot first, then the other. He nodded in satisfaction. His body had become somewhat accustomed to the weights.

Naruto returned to his backpack and rested his body on the ground. He packed up the scrolls and reed pen before casting a Genjutsu over the area so he could rest without the risk of being discovered. He needed the rest, especially after those two summons and the air exercise.

* * *

Naruto slowed down as the terrain changed to a rocky, mountainous slope. It was harder to air walked when there were so many rocks, and so he had been forced to wrap his entire body in chakra and rotate, it, so his air walking depended solely on the air around him and not the type of ground below. He was nearing Iwagakure no sato. The blonde shinobi leapt nimbly from rock to rock, discarding the air walking technique, and swiftly ascending the mountain. He had heard that Kana was somewhere in these remote mountains. Naruto suddenly stopped. 'Somewhere' was the key word. There was no way he could possibly search out all parts of the mountains and still find Kana in this lifetime. It was impossible. A thought occurred to him, and he smiled. Focusing chakra into his right palm, he slammed it into the ground, focusing on a raven in his mind.

Immediately, a medium-sized raven stood before him. The black bird inclined its head, surveying Naruto from out of its beady eyes.

"What dost thou wish thy humble servant Taka to do, master?" asked the raven.

"Taka, I wish you to search these mountains for the swordsman named Kana. You may call on other ravens of your acquaintance if you wish. I shall be right here when you have finished." The raven ruffled its feathers and bowed his head.

"Understood, Uzumaki-sama." A small 'poof' was heard, and Taka turned to the raven beside him.

"Olga."

"Taka." The two ravens greeted each other, and then Taka turned back to Naruto.

"This is Olga. She will be aiding me in my task, Uzumaki-sama." Naruto nodded in comprehension.

"Nice to meet you, Olga. You may go." The two ravens flew off instantly in a flutter of stygian wings, disappearing rapidly from sight. Naruto turned his attention to his other task and began refocusing chakra to his hand. Then he repeated the earlier process, thinking of a fox as he did so. Sure enough, a small black fox appeared with a poof. Naruto looked at the two foxes.

"What are you names?" he queried. The black fox stepped forward.

"I am called Arashi, Uzumaki-sama." The other one stepped forward also.

"And I am called Kazama." Naruto nodded, and then spoke.

"Arashi, Kazama, there is a swordsman, a human named Kana, living somewhere in these mountains. Please see if you can find him; I will be waiting right here for you." The foxes nodded in unison.

"Hai, Uzumaki-sama," they chorused, before loping away, noses to the ground.

Naruto climbed a bit further up the slope to a flatter place, and then squatted down, drawing out the Chakra Separation Seal. An idea had just come to him, and he needed to get it down. The blonde surveyed the scroll with satisfaction and a strong sense of achievement. The scroll was halfway finished. He could hardly wait until he completed it. It would be his magnum opus, his masterpiece.

The shinobi worked for hours, until the midday sun shone hotly down on the lone figure. Then a raven and a fox simultaneously appeared in front of him. They looked at each other, and then turned back to Naruto.

"I have found him," stated Arashi.

"Myself also," added Taka. Naruto thanked them, and then asked them to lead him to the swordsman. It was time.

The blonde absentmindedly followed his two summons through the rocky terrain, noticing vaguely that his surroundings were becoming more and more remote, as if the swordsman's location was a great deal off from civilization. Naruto was broken from his musings when the fox in front of him halted. The pre-teen looked up, only to see a black-clothed man standing in front of him. He had only time to think _Kuso!_ and then the stranger flew at him, long black hair fluttering behind him. Then, in a flash, his opponent drew a shiny, double-edged kodachi, and he knew. This man was Kana. Naruto quickly dew his own kodachi, and began countering the other's thrusts, and even going so far as to endeavour to thrust at his opponent, choosing to switch from defensive to offensive. The two males fought for at least 5 minutes, thrusting and parrying at lightning speeds. Naruto felt exhilarated; he was at home, wielding his kodachi. But his body was beginning to tire. He could not keep this up for much longer. Just as the thought crossed his mind, his attacker leapt back lightly, balancing with precise grace on the balls of his feet; then he _bowed._ Naruto, panting slightly, could only stare in confusion at the other man. _What??!?_ His opponent spoke, effectively drawing his attention from his baffled thoughts.

"Congratulations." His voice was deep, and held a slight note of amusement. Naruto stood.

_Congratulations?_ he repeated in his mind, incredulous. Then a burst of laughter issued from his lips, noticeably startling the other. The Jinchuuriki laughed for a full 30 seconds before managing to control himself. Meeting the other's eyes, he grinned.

"Sorry, but to say 'Congratulations' after you attacked me with such ferocity is absurd. May I ask why you congratulate me? I already know your identity." The man raised an eyebrow, his surprised look replaced by one of slight curiosity.

"Oh? And who might I be?" Naruto's eyes narrowed imperceptibly as he answered in a serious tone.

"Kana, the greatest of swordsmen in the shinobi world." Kana let a self-deprecatory smile cross his face. The young boy was indeed smart. He already knew what he was here for, but he didn't know the other's name.

"And why did you congratulate me?" queried Naruto patiently. Kana smiled.

"I was congratulating you on being able to withstand my attack for more than 5 minutes, even though you are obviously a beginner – you must be quite ardent and exceptional at handling your kodachi." Naruto smiled. Training so long and hard had paid off.

"Yes," he replied. "However, I know that I am nowhere near exceptional, and I do not know the identity of my kodachi, which is why I am here. And my name is Uzumaki Naruto, former leaf Genin, currently a C-class missing-nin." Kana raised an eyebrow.

"You are not a C-class missing-nin," he commented. "Your latent strength should at least give you a B-class status. So either the bingo book has not yet been updated, or you have been lying low for the past year." Naruto smiled enigmatically, his eyes crinkling above his mask.

"So what do you say, Kana-san?" he queried. "Will you teach me? Or will you refuse?" Kana already knew his answer. Turning away, he threw the words over his shoulder.

"Come. You will be a master of your kodachi, legendary thing that it is." And thus began Naruto's training with the legendary Kana.

**************************************************************************************************** Naruto sat, panting, underneath the shade of a convenient tree in Kana's private training grounds. His rapid breaths unconsciously slowed as he let his mind revert in time to the beginning of his training, when Kana had made him aware as to his kodachi's history and identity. Kana had told him of a kodachi wielded by a shinobi called Demora Tsume during the First Great Shinobi War. The kodachi, Shiin, was famous for its double-edged blade. The blade had two edges: a white edge that drained chakra, and a black edge that looked somewhat like black fire and was fatal to whoever it cut. The katana had disappeared on the battlefield. When Demora's body was found, the kodachi was nowhere to be seen, and had not been found for centuries, and had almost become a myth. However, the katana had one quirk: it chose its wielder. The person who it chose as its wielder would see it in all its glory, and other persons would only see a normal kodachi until its true wielder grasped it. Then it would reveal its true double-edged form. It had chosen Naruto. Naruto was the chosen wielder of Shiiin. Not even Kana himself could wield Shiin.

It had been about a year and a half now, and he had completed the Hiraishin no Jutsu and air manipulating technique, and ¾ of the Chakra Separation Seal, plus mastering some other, simpler justsu. He could remember Kana's tone as clearly as if they were conversing right now.

"_Naruto," Kana began in a mysterious tone that Naruto would quickly come to recognize as reluctant admiration, "you impressed me greatly with your mastery of Shiin hwen we met. Frankly, for someone your age, mastery of a kodachi, and one that great, at that level would be regarded as the work of a prodigy." _ The blonde smiled in recollection of the elation and gratitude that had filled his chest, giving him a buoyant feeling. It was the first time someone had complimented him on the results of his hard work. He returned to his memory. _"Because of this," Kana continued, "I will endeavour to train you, and make you into the greatest of all swordsmen, greater than even myself. You have the potential," he continued, seeing Naruto's incredulous eyes, "When I was your age, I was nowhere as proficient"_ A distant voice, rather urgent in tone, broke Naruto out of his musings. He focused on the voice; it was Kyuubi. What was he saying?

"**Kana is calling you, Naruto!**" the fox sounded exasperated. Naruto nodded, heading back to the present world. His sensei was probably ready to spar again. Naruto blinked azure eyes, looking up at his teacher.

"I assume we are ready to begin again?" he queried, grinning slightly, although this was only shown by a crinkling of his eyes. Kana smiled and nodded in reply.

"Yes, Naruto." he rumbled. "We are going to test your proficiency on the sword moves we have gone through previously. Do not let me down." The blonde pre-teen jumped to his feet, his whole frame radiating eagerness.

"Of course I won't let you down, Kana-sensei," he replied quietly, reassuringly. "I think I might even surprise you." Kana said nothing in reply, but knew very well that it might indeed be the case. Actually, Naruto had been surprising him from their first encounter, especially when he found out the boy's true age. Returning to the present, Kana got into a fighting stance and readied himself for the staggering attack he knew was sure to come. What attack would he use first? His question was soon answered.

Naruto charged forward gracefully, his pliant body flexing with the strangely feline run he had adopted since coming to train with Kana.

"Odori no Rasen Tsuki!" Kana smiled to himself. He had had a feeling that the blonde would attack with this particular style first: it was one of his favourites. Naruto flew at his teacher and the two males began an intricate sword dance, their respective katana flying through the air at speeds so high only a Doujutsu similar to the Sharingan could follow it. Within 20 minutes, they had completed the sword dance, thrusting and parrying like true masters of the sword. Then Naruto switched dances.

"Odori no Tsuiraku Tsuki!"

The two opponents subtly shifted stances, and the intricately beautiful dance began again. This one was more elaborate than the previous dance, having more sword flourishes and footwork. Kana was, to say the least, impressed. This dance was the hardest of all he had taught Naruto, and the young blonde had mastered it. With a few years of experience under his belt, he would easily surpass Kana. His eyes widened slightly. They had already completed the dance, and now Naruto was switching again.

"Yuugure Ketatameshii Kiba!"

Kana was forced to go on the defensive as his student began the aggressive swordplay, jabbing and thrusting with obvious, deadly strength. The teacher stumbled slightly at the end of a particularly vicious thrust, his strong arms vibrating a bit from the tremors passing through their respective katanas from the force of the thrust and parry. The two shinobi continued to fight in the same aggressive, slightly animalistic style, Naruto occasionally reverting to a defensive position when his teacher made a particularly quick, ferocious thrust. Exhilaration ran through their bodies, their chakra shifting and molding like the dance they were currently utilizing. Then Naruto changed his stance again.

"Odori no Shoushi Gufuu!"

The dance shifted, and became gentler, but the speed increased, befitting the 'tornado' name. The speed of their moves increased until their hands and katanas were a blur, like an actual tornado. Kana smiled grimly as he parried blows from Naruto's katana. His student was a formidable foe. The dance went on for a few more minutes, and then changed again. The duo went through two more dances, Odori no Haikei Tsuki and Odori no Jougen, before Naruto shifted into a stance that Kana was entirely unfamiliar with. His student grinned triumphantly under his mask at his sensei's surprise before crying out,

"Akuma no Odori no Uzumaki!"

The teacher was forced to call on every tactic he knew or owned to counter the whirlwind barrage of attacks pressing in on him from all directions. He could only watch in wonder as his student proceeded to thoroughly amaze him with his proficiency. He had never seen this dance before. It must be something that Naruto created, and the surprise he mentioned earlier. Kana's eyes widened even more as once again, Naruto shifted into another unfamiliar stance.

"Odori no Gogyou Tsuki!" cried Naruto, lunging forward and beginning an even more elaborate dance than the Odori no Tsuiraku Tsuki. This one was more graceful, a true dance speaking of a fiery passion coming from one's heart and consuming the moon in its flaming arms, a dance born out of despair and triumph over depression. A dance reflecting his student's _soul._ The blonde mention came to a slow halt, his chest heaving slightly. His eyes crinkled as he took a look at his sensei's utterly blown-away expression. The two shinobi straightened and looked each other in the eye, clam azure blue meeting fathomless black ones, before Kana sank into a low bow.

"I hereby acknowledge you as my superior, Uzumaki Naruto. You have surpassed me, Kana, and I am no longer worthy of being your teacher. Now we are comrades, one of whom is both the younger and the greater. I bid you goodbye and good luck in the world of shinobi." Kana straightened and embraced his student in fatherly pride. It was true: Naruto's personality had endeared him to Kana, and the blond became the son he had never had.

"Arigatou, Kana-sensei," said Naruto quietly, releasing his foster-father and closest friend, and former teacher. No more was said. Naruto packed his possessions and the two males rested before Naruto hoisted his backpack for the first time in a year and a half, ready to leave. With a wave and a 'poof', Naruto had left the mountain, and in a matter of seconds, reappeared in front of Iwagakure no sato's main gates with a strong gust of wind.

The blond turned away from the gate and began the long trek back to Kumogakure. He was in no hurry: besides, if he hurried, it would still take him all of three weeks, instead of the usual month. So he had absolutely no real reason to hurry. During the next 2 weeks, Naruto completed the Chakra Separation Seal, and now a small crimson fox rode on his shoulders as he sped through the trees and other foliage. Kyuubi had opted for an animal form rather than a human one as it would raise too many questions, and Naruto had placed an expert Genjutsu on the fox to reduce him from the size of a horse down to a normal pup. The story would be that Naruto had encountered a dying mother fox on his way from Iwagakure on sato and stopped to help her, when he had seen the small pup peeking out from under her mutilated and dying body. He had been unable to save the mother and adopted the pup, naming him Tenshi. Kyuubi/Tenshi still had a normal mental link with the Jinchuuriki, because of the bite/tattoo that he had given his host, and the fact that Kyuubi was still bound to Naruto by the seal, but Naruto would still understand him if he chose to communicate by barks or yips. The two had begun to learn how to fight together if needed; it was easy, since Kyuubi already had knowledge of fighting in kitsune form, and Naruto himself already knew how foxes fought, due to Kyuubi's prior training.

Naruto slowed down, spotting a clearing to his left.

'_Kyuubi, I;m going to stop and rest, maybe even train for about a day.'_

"**Good idea.**" the fox on his shoulder replied through their mental link. The pre-teen turned into the clearing, landing solidly on his feet as he halted in its center. The Jinchuuriki rested his backpack a few feet away and proceeded to make several hand seals. Another thing he had learnt in the two weeks since he had left was the nature of his second chakra element, Suiton. He was not even nearly proficient in this element yet; he had just completed the Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu, a water clone, and had begun the Suiton: Daitoppa, a jutsu that, when perfectly executed, would flood a large area with water. He was nowhere near covering the area required for full mastery of the technique; he could only cover about 100 metres with water.

Naruto practiced for about 3 hours, and then collapsed beside an observing Kyuubi and his backpack for some well-deserved rest. It was an unspoken arrangement between fox and 'master', and then when Naruto slept, Kyuubi would take watch duty. A few hours later, when the sun had begun to set over the forest trees and the twittering of home-bound birds flying overhead filled the trees, Naruto awoke slowly, blearily rubbing at his sleepy eyes. Naruto quickly consumed some ninja rations, and the comrades were again ready for travel.

* * *

Naruto entered Amagakure no sato for the second time in his entire life, noticing the respectful looks sent his way. Kyuubi, on his shoulder, chuckled mentally.

"**They must've gotten the new issue of the bingo book,**" he commented. Naruto grinned a feral grin under his mask.

A week ago, 2 S-class nuke-nin had been brutally, effortlessly slaughtered by an Akuma Hiai, in the space of a few minutes. Both shinobi had been former Akatsuki members, and were on the run from said organization. They had foolishly attempted to ambush Naruto, and met their demise at the end of a well-placed Shiin thrust. Naruto flipped open his old bingo book, automatically reaching the page both ninja were listed on.

"Ah," he murmured in satisfaction as his eyes landed on their profiles.

The first one was called Nagoma. Naruto stared at the photo, memories flooding his brain. Nagoma was quite handsome; short, shoulder-length blonde hair was slicked down and combed straight back. His green eyes were deceptive; they held the power of seduction, disguising the fact that he was a powerful killer. It was those same green eyes that Naruto had pierced with Shiin, and the same green eyes that had seduced numerous female civilians and kunoichi alike, giving him the reputation as a ladies' man. Nagoma wore a black knee-length coat, similar to Naruto, standard black pants, a mesh undershirt, and like all other Akatsuki had painted his nails a dark color, in this case dark green.

Naruto's eyes moved to Gatuga's profile. He had been the weaker of the two, not that one would easily deduce this from his hardcore appearance. Gatuga almost resembled an advertisement for a piercer's, so riddled was his face with various piercings. His nose bridge had five bars through it, and each ear was ringed with about 18 hoop piercings. His tongue was also pierced with two studs, side by side, and his thin lip had three small hoops on the left side of his lower lip. Gatuga wore a black turtleneck, and long, tight black pants with bandaged arms and carried a kodachi. His hair was a blue-black shade, and was in a short, spiky style actually very similar to Naruto's. An almost malicious gleam entered Naruto's eyes as he recollected the thrill and satisfaction he had gotten by fighting Gatuga. The nuke-nin had actually been rather skilled with a kodachi, but of course, was no match for Naruto.

He put away the older version of the bingo book and flipped open the newer version. _'Let's see what they have on me, just for kicks,'_ he said to Kyuubi. The fox let out a small bark of laughter, and the pair began to peruse Naruto's profile.

"Let's see……hmmm," muttered Naruto vaguely. It seemed that they were puzzled as to his identity. All they had was his general description, mentioning that he apparently was a missing-nin from an unknown village, and wore a mask that obscured his features, and his status as an S-class nin. They also had estimated levels of his various strengths: his Taijutsu, Kenjutsu and Ninjutsu levels were estimated to be at Kage level; however, his Genjutsu was only at high Chuunin. He gaped when he saw his bounty. _45,000,000 ryo?!?!?_ he screamed mentally in utter shock. That was quite a hefty sum; the Oto nin must want him badly to put up so much. Well, if Naruto had his way, he would be making sure that no one would be collecting that money anytime soon. Right now, he had to replenish his ninja ration supply and get some kunai custom-made for his Hiraishin technique. No one, not even Kana, knew he had even created or completed the technique.

"**Father….son,**" muttered Kyuubi again on his shoulder, the words coming out like a series of barks, growls and yips to the average ninja. Naruto frowned slightly. This was the second time he had heard Kyuubi muttering something about father and son in conjunction to his Hiraishin technique. What did the kitsune demon mean?

'_Father…son?'_ he asked Kyuubi. The fox simply grunted in reply, and Naruto knew that the demon wasn't about to tell him; well, at least not for now. The Jinchuuriki shrugged. He had more important issues to attend to: like, getting something to eat.


	5. Sarutobi's Proposal

Sarutobi's Proposal

Naruto sighed. It seemed that even though he avoided all things Konoha, it always found him in one way or another. The Jinchuuriki's gaze roamed over the four Konoha ninja standing in front of him, assessing them, even as they assessed him, their eyes lingering on the small red fox on his shoulder. He had attempted to pass without incident, but they confronted him, and here he was, wondering how to get out of this mess without a fight. Naruto looked back at the ninja quartet, groaning mentally as he recognized them from the bingo book and vague memories of Konoha. Why did he have to meet this team? Hatake Kakashi, the renowned 'Copy Ninja', Sarutobi Asuma, Nara Shikaku, and Mitarashi Anko. His eyes lingered on the kumoichi, taking her appearance in; she was the most unfamiliar to him.

The kunoichi was scantily dressed; she wore a full mesh bodysuit, and over that a dark-orange skirt and an olive-green trench coat that did little to preserve the miniscule amounts of modest she had left. Naruto scrutinized the Nara next. He looked exactly like Shikamaru, except an older, bearded version. The blonde's brow furrowed in puzzlement. Wasn't Nara Shikaku part of the famous Ino-Shika-cho trio? Then, what was he doing in another team? The pre-teen's gaze moved to Sarutobi Asuma, and he nodded courteously to the older shinobi, seeing his teammates' surprised expressions. Asuma apparently had not broadcasted the news that he had met Akuma Hiai. A voice drew Naruto from his speculation.

"Not going to attack? If you won't, we will." It was Mitarashi Anko. When Naruto merely looked at her, expressionless, the team looked at each other, and Asuma leapt forward, slashing at Naruto with his trench knives.

A thrill shot through the pre-teen, and he quickly unsheathed his kodachi, Shiin, running a sharp line of chakra along it. The kodachi responded in its usual fashion to its wielder, morphing from a normal double-edged katana to a bi-colored, double-edged lethal weapon. The blade extended a few inches, the guard became black snakeskin leather, and the pommel glowed blue. Naruto grinned swordplay was his forte. But he would have to watch out for the Nara. Naruto looked quickly around. _'Too many trees,' _he thought. In a flash the Jinchuuriki made a few hand signs, his hands going fast enough to be seen by the normal eye as a blur.

"Fuiton: Daitoppa!" he called. Immediately, a huge gust of wind swept through the forested area, felling the trees and sweeping them far away from the battle scene. And just in time. As the trees fell and blew away, Naruto could see the Nara's shadow quickly retreat.

He looked back at Asuma. This had to end now. It was now or never. _'I'm going to use one of the jutsu you taught me,'_ he told Kyuubi through their mental link. The fox on his shoulders shifted and Naruto felt Kyuubi growl in response. Naruto focused on the battle and slipped into one of the many dances Kana taught him, quickly overpowering Asuma. Naruto's hands flew into another series of handseals, and he cried,

"Kokuangyo no Jutsu!" Immediately, Asuma stood still, and Naruto seized the chance, leaping like an acrobat over the shinobi, kodachi outstretched. He landed lightly on his feet, looking warily at the three remaining opponents. Kakashi, his distinctive gravity-defying silver hair glinting in the sunlight, stepped forward.

"What did you do to him?" he asked, gesturing at Asuma. Naruto's eyes crinkled above his mask, telling Kakashi that he was either laughing or smiling. But Naruto remained silent. He calculated the time he had given Asuma to cancel the Genjutsu; he wouldn't underestimate him. It was almost up. That meant that he had to defeat three Jounin-level opponents in 10 minutes. The blonde frowned. Hiraishin. It was his only chance. He would Shunshin around the field, and mix in a Hiraishin. He gave a decisive nod, and before any of his opponents could move, flashed around the battlefield. Then, as he neared the Nara, he used Hiraishin, thanking Kami that he had thrown the Hiraishin kunai earlier.

His Hiraishin technique was his other masterpiece. Naruto had put a complex chakra storage seal on each special seal-absorbent kunai, and filled it with his chakra, so that the seal would recognize the chakra signature. So when he threw the kunai, the seal would seem to shine brightly at him, and all he had to do was let the chakra in the special seal tug on his chakra. At first, he had instinctively resisted the tug, and the technique had failed. But when he allowed himself to be controlled by the tug of the kunai he focused on, he felt his body drawn into something that looked vaguely like a yellow tunnel. It was only after he did it for the first time that he realized that he was basically seeing his own afterimage in front of him; that is, his brain had already reached the point, but his body had not. The persons outside would not see him, as the yellow tunnel was purely mental. He had figured out that the yellow was purely his hair color after dying his hair red – the tunnel had turned red. In the tunnel, everything became slower. In short, a shinobi using Shunshin looked as if he were merely jogging from one spot to another. The Hiraishin was undefeatable. Plus, if ever he died, and the kunai were found, there was a special part of the seal that released the chakra stored there, so that someone else besides him could use it; his legacy could be passed down.

Naruto could see the Nara through the translucent sides of the yellow Hiraishin tunnel. The Jinchuuriki quickly knocked him unconscious using the guard of his kodachi as he passed his opponents faster than even Kakashi's Sharingan could see. _Wait……Sharingan!_

'_Kyuubi, he'll realize I'm a Jinchuuriki!'_ he said, panicked, to the demon.

"**Actually, no.**" Kyuubi reassured calmly. "**There is an SS-class Genjutsu on your chakra system, making it look like any normal shinobi's. I put it on you just before you went to Kana. Not even Sharingan and Byakugan can detect this Genjutsu.**" Naruto sighed in relief.

'_Thanks, Kyuubi,' _he said, and meant it. An idea came to mind, and he quickly made some hand seals.

"Fuiton: Tatsumaki Oni!" That would probably deal with Anko and Kakashi. The Sharingan-user couldn't copy this one. A mini tornado whipped up, and Naruto, using his hands to control it, directed it at Kakashi and Anko. They didn't have a chance. Anko was sucked up by the winds before she could react, and flung brutally on the ground, hard enough to render her instantly unconscious. Then Naruto focused on Kakashi, who was badly buffeted, but still standing. He would have to use another jutsu.

"Fuiton: Kaze Yaiba!" Invisible blades of wind suddenly cut mercilessly at the Copy Ninja, tearing his flesh to ribbons. Blood spurted, and Kakashi fell like a useless marionette. Naruto dispassionately surveyed the scene before him, and then summoned a raven.

"Ai, take me about 10 miles from here," he told his summons. He needed to get away, and fast. The raven bowed his head and allowed Naruto to climb onto its back. Then it spread enormous wings and took off with one smoother, powerful flap.

As they flew, Naruto and Kyuubi reviewed the battle in their heads.

"**That was a good battle,**" Kyuubi commented.

'_Yeah._' The frown didn't leave Naruto's face. Something had just occurred to him. He had forgotten all about Doujutsu like the Sharingan whilst fighting. A Doujutsu like that enabled its user to match almost anyone, provided they had the required amount of chakra. This was not exactly an extremely serious problem to Naruto in terms of the chakra supply; it was that the abilities of the Sharingan, the copying abilities, were more than enough to counter many jutsu, thus rendering some of the opponent's abilities null and void. In a battle, each jutsu a shinobi had in his arsenal gave him an edge on the opponent, and if each jutsu was rendered useless, then that shinobi was in trouble. Naruto frown again. He needed to find a way to counteract the Sharingan, just in case he had to fight Kakashi, Sasuke, or Kami forbid, _Itachi._

He thought again. The most obvious way to counteract the Sharingan's copying abilities was to make sure it had nothing to copy. But how? There were a few jutus without hand seals, but not nearly enough in his respective chakra elements; and not all jutsus could be converted to be done sans hand seals. Hmmm….he would just have to learn to do the hand seals for all the jutsu he knew that were B-rank or below at an extremely fast rate. Also, those that he used rather frequently, he could work on doing without the hand seals. But he knew that he couldn't do many A-ranked jutsu at the speed required to give Sharingan a run for its money, and he definitely could not do any S-ranked jutsu hand seals that fast. He could practice, yes, but there was only so fast he could get, and he was sure that he would never be able to do them without hand seals. That meant he would have to have something else to rely on, apart from his kodachi, hand seal jutsus, and non-seal jutsus.

"**How about chakra manipulation?**" broke in Kyuubi's voice suddenly, giving Naruto a slight start. "**Your chakra is wind-natured, and wind element chakra has a natural cutting edge. You should use that to your advantage. For instance, if an opponent rendered your arms useless, and tied you legs, you could run your chakra on the outside of your skin, and its natural cutting ability would sever the ropes binding you. You wouldn't even have to concentrate on giving it a cutting edge like other ninja with different chakra elements.**" A smile spread across Naruto's face. Kyuubi's idea was pure genius.

'_Thanks, Kyuubi,'_ he said to the demon. _'You just gave me an idea.'_ Kyuubi's curiosity was aroused.

"**What idea?**" he aside. Naruto smiled slightly before answering.

'_Well, you talked about running chakra down my body, and it gave me inspiration. If I coat my fingers in chakra, a normal shinobi will not be able to see it, and, because of the natural cutting edge that my wind element chakra has, I will be able to cut them with just a touch.'_ Kyuubi's eyes widened. Now _that _was pure genius.

Naruto thought some more, as another idea entered his head. He was jerked from his train of thought however, when the raven stopped, landing gently on the ground.

"We are here, Uzumaki-sama," Ai informed Naruto. The blond slid off the raven's back, thanked him absentmindedly and sat on the ground as the raven poofed away. Then he snapped his fingers suddenly, and drew out a blank scroll and his reed pen, and began writing furiously. When he had finished recording his thoughts, he resealed the scroll, and turned to Kyuubi/Tenshi.

"We'll camp here for tonight." The duo set up camp, and were soon asleep, their bodies exhausted.

* * *

Naruto silently reviewed the jutsus he could do with super-fast hand seals, as he and Kyuubi sped through the trees. A smirk grew on his masked face as he realized that there were quite a few. Rasengan, Fuiton: Rasengan, Kokyangyo no Jutsu, Shihohappo Shuriken, Bunshin Daibukuha, Suiton: Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu, Fuiton: Kaze Yaiba and a lot more. He had also perfected the aspects of chakra manipulation he had thought of earlier, like coating his fingers in his wind-natured chakra, making it into a technique. He called it Fuiton: Sashiki Tesaki, literally Cutting Fingers. This technique, depending on how much he honed his chakra, could give a superficial cut, or even sever a limb. The 12 year old was extremely proud of this technique. Not even Sharingan could counteract it.

He had exploited his wind-natured chakra even more in the past few days, and come up with three techniques, one involving Shiin, and the other an actual technique. The one with Shiin had occurred to him when he was practicing with the kodachi one day, running the chakra along the blade. He had put two and two together, realizing that if his chakra had natural cutting ability and his sword a cutting edge, then the damage wreaked on his opponent if he stabbed him with a combination of the two was almost incomprehensible. The other was more complicated, and was more like a hybrid of Rasengan and Sashiki Tesaki. He called it Fuiton: Rensei Ude, the Drilling Arm. In this jutsu, he surrounded each of his arms with chakra, and then rotated the chakra around his arms so that they resembled twin drills. The destructive power of this jutsu was off the charts. The first time he had tried it, on a tree, it had almost done more damage than a Rasengan. The third technique was simply chakra manipulation. In this, he covered his body with a thin layer of chakra, and then sharpened the edges of the chakra. Just like the Sashiki Tesaki, if he touched someone or something with his body then, depending on how much he sharpened his chakra, the person would simply receive a superficial cut or lose a limb, vital organ or his life. Because of the 'sharpening' aspect of the jutsu, Naruto called it Fuiton: Hitomi Naifu, the 'Body Knife' technique.

However, even though he had created all of these techniques, he was nowhere near perfecting them. His chakra control was only as good as it could get at his age, much less with the enormous amounts of chakra he had; plus he was unable to make the chakra for the Hitomi Naifu cover his body evenly to create an excellent defensive offense. In addition, the Rensei Ude's recoil always managed to harm him superficially. But even though it was superficial, it still harmed him, and a jutsu that caused harm to both the victim and the user was not very profitable. The only one even close to perfection was the Sashiki Tesaki, and he still had only a seven in ten chance of successfully executing the jutsu.

'_I need to practice more,'_ he thought determinedly. _'I can't have Jounin attacking me like that again and not be able to easily defeat them. Che. They didn't even have to attack. It was that stupid kunoichi.'_ Kyuubi chuckled.

"**Well, you **_**are**_** an S-class nuke-nin with a bounty of 45,000,000 ryo on your head. I think it is safe to assume that you have more than a few enemies.**" Naruto chuckled.

'_True.'_ A silence fell between shinobi and demon as they flew through the trees. They knew they had much more to face.

* * *

Kakashi awoke slowly. He blinked in confusion as his disoriented mind attempted to place his surroundings. The cyclopean shinobi turned his head stiffly, noting the pain in his body from several bandaged areas on his torso, legs and arms. The memories came rushing back as he caught sight of Nara Shikaku and Sarutobi Asuma sitting by the campfire. Anko was nowhere in sight. _Akuma must've caught her too,_ he mused. It seemed that only he and the kunoichi had been harmed. With a grunt, Kakashi raised himself slowly to a sitting position, extremely relieved that he could still move if he needed to. Hearing the grunt, Asuma and Shikaku looked over at Kakashi. Their faces lightened as they realized that their comrade was finally awake and functioning.

"Finally! We were beginning to worry," said Sarutobi Asuma, smiling with the ever-present cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. Kakashi's one visible eye widened. _Why?_

"How long have I been out?" he asked, his voice gravelly from lack of use. Shikaku frowned.

"About two days. Those wounds were bad." Kakashi shook his head.

"I've never seen that jutsu before," he commented. "Nor have I seen the one he used on Anko. How is she, by the way?"

"She's fine," answered Asuma. "On watch." The Copy Ninja nodded. Then the entire team was ready to go again.

Silence blanketed the three shinobi as their minds simultaneously renewed the battle. Then Shikaku spoke up.

"Did you notice Akuma's hesitation to attack? He had even attempted to pass us without beginning a fight. Not even after Anko threatened him would he attack. Plus, he left us all alive. I was only knocked out. Asuma here didn't even suffer an injury. You were the worst, and, admit it, you've been hurt worse. There is something we're missing." Asuma and Kakashi nodded in agreement. Then Asuma began to speak.

"I didn't tell anyone but the Hokage this before, but Akuma and I have met before."

"Figured as much," commented Kakashi. "He seemed to know you." Asuma nodded, a faraway look in his eyes.

"Yeah. The first time I met him, Team 10 was on a protection mission in the Stone Country, in Iwagakure no sato. Akuma passed us, on the way to Amegakure no sato, and nodded to me exactly as he did when he met us, as if he knew me. And I had never seen him before. He also seemed to know Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji, which is extremely strange. Knowing me, not so much. I'm in the bingo book. Ino, Chouji and Shikamaru? Very suspicious. They haven't even been out of the village properly, and they're not even half strong or experience enough to be in the bingo book or even gain a reputation of their own. He even rescued Ino when she was kidnapped by a rogue Iwa nin in Amegakure. That shinobi is extremely skilled with his kodachi; he was just playing with me when I attacked him. He's definitely improved since the last time I saw him; his chakra's off the charts." Shikaku shook his head.

"That shinobi is one big mystery. And what of the fox on his shoulder?" Asuma shrugged.

"_That _I don't know about. He didn't have it when I saw him last." Kakashi spoke up.

"I don't know what it is, but that shinobi was strangely familiar, somehow. I just felt as if I knew him………somehow, from somewhere." Another silence fell on the trio, as they tried to make sense of their observations, but to no avail. After a few minutes, Shikaku stood.

"How do you feel about travelling today, Kakashi?" he queried.

Kakashi shrugged carefully, assessing his body.

"I can travel. How far are we from Konoha, exactly?" Asuma answered.

"About five days' worth of travelling. We carried you." Kakashi's eyes crinkled.

"I think I can manage it. When are you leaving?"

"Right now, after we eat," replied Shikaku. The Nara called the kunoichi and the quartet had a quick, tasteless meal of ninja rations. Then they packed up the tents and other items, extinguished the fire, and set out for Konoha. They had information for the Sandaime Hokage.

As Kakashi's wounds were not serious enough to hinder his travelling speed, they could travel normally. The team soon reached the gates of Konoha, greeting the Jounin at the gates as they entered their village. The group of Jounin headed directly for the Hokage's office. The sooner this information was circulated, the better.

Within minutes, the 3 shinobi and 1 kunoichi were assembled respectfully in front of the Sandaime Hokage.

"Back safely, I see," commented the Sandaime. "How was the mission?" Nara Shikaku stepped forward. He had been made team leader because of his skills in strategy and diplomacy, and now was the time to put these skills to the test.

"The mission was successful, Hokage-sama. However, we encountered an S-class shinobi, a missing-nin, on our way back." The Hokage became alert. Seeing this, Shikaku continued.

"The shinobi is called Akuma Hiai. No information is known on him, except that he is a missing-nin, and apparently defeated two ex-Akatsuki without breaking a sweat. When we encountered him, however, he did not seem inclined to fight, even after Mitarashi Anko spoke to him provocatively and gave him an ultimatum. When we attacked, he retaliated, but barely. We were defeated in under 20 minutes. Two unknown jutsus were used on Kakashi and Anko, I was knocked out, and Asuma was caught in a Genjutsu. He also carried a small crimson fox on his shoulder, and is extremely proficient with a kodachi." Sandaime steepled his fingers, his face taking on a thoughtful look.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Shikaku. I will think more on this matter. For now, avoid the nin, I will have him investigated. You are dismissed." The four ninja bowed and shunshined away.

As they disappeared, Sarutobi leaned back in his large, comfortable door. Akuma Hiai, S-class nukenin, brutally slaughtered three ex-Akatsuki, but hesitated to harm four Konoha Jounin. Something was missing, but what? The Sandaime had a feeling……..maybe he should investigate this one himself. Sarutobi considered the idea in depth. Yes……he would do it. It was highly irregular, almost unheard-of, but he had no paperwork; for once, all relations were stable, there was no sight of Orochimaru or the Akatsuki, and he had not taken a vacation in a while. A vacation……he could use it as his cover. The decision was made. Sarutobi would investigate this himself.

* * *

Naruto walked sedately through Kumogakure's gates, nodding politely to the two Jounin at the guard booth. As he passed through the gates, he relaxed. Even though he knew an infiltration was still possible, there was just something about returning home that made him feel safe. Then a screech filled the air, and Naruto flinched, before taking off at a run, grimacing. He had been away for so long, he had forgotten about the fangirls. The ground behind him shook as about forty kunoichi chased him through the streets of Kumogakure. The worst part about them was that they were not just wannabe kunoichi who were easy to shake off. These kunoichi were excellent trackers and attackers. After a few minutes, he managed to shake them, though he could still hear their yells of "Akuma-kun! SQUEEEEE!"

Naruto shuddered, and dived into a nearby barbeque shop. The proprietor graciously welcomed him, and a waitress brought his order of 2 plates of barbeque pork. Then, halfway through his meal, a group of fangirls came in. Naruto shivered in fear, and by quick thinking, cast a henge over himself so he looked extremely different. Then he finished his barbeque, paid the owner, and exited the shop in a flash, releasing the henge as he did so. It was time to report to the Raikage.

Naruto made his way to the tower, Kyuubi on his shoulder, greeting acquaintances as he passed through the busy streets. When he reached the base of the tower, he flashed his kodachi as ID at the Jounin guards and ascended a few flights of stairs until he reached the familiar green door. Naruto knocked twice on it before receiving permission to enter. The masked blonde quietly opened the door and entered the room, shutting the door softly behind him. Then he looked around, and suffered the shock of his life. He had never been as glad for his mask as he was now.

Almost all of the Rookie 9 stood before him, with the addition of one Genin he was completely unfamiliar with. Naruto felt surprised. On a mission alone? How old was everyone? He saw no signs of a flak jacket, so that meant that everyone was still Genin level. He was 12, so that would mean that the age range would be from 11-14, Hyuuga Neji and Shikamaru being the eldest, and Hyuuga Hinata, the youngest. His eyes rested briefly on each one, recognizing them from his past. Hyuuga Neji, Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, Tenten, and a boy he didn't know. Naruto scrutinized the boy for a moment. _He must be my replacement,_ he deduced.

The young shinobi had long silver hair, caught up in a high ponytail with a piece over his left eye, similar to Yamanaka Ino. He was almost pretty, with pale skin, purple eyes and delicate features, and appeared to have the same attitude complex as Sasuke, who, Naruto noticed, was looking at him with disdain. The unknown Konoha shinobi wore a mesh undershirt with a short sleeved mid-torso black jacket, black fingerless mesh gloves, and standard black shinobi pants and sandals. Naruto shifted his gaze back to Shikamaru and Ino and nodded at them before turning to the Raikage.

"I am back, Raikage-sama," he said quietly, feeling the stares of the Konoha shinobi. _'Why are they staring so much?'_ he asked Kyuubi.

"**Maybe it's the fact that you look rather intimidating, despite your obvious lack of height, plus the fact that you have a fox on your shoulder?**" suggested Kyuubi sarcastically. Ignoring the jab at his height – or lack of it – Naruto mentally slapped himself. He really was a dobe sometimes. The Raikage smiled.

"Welcome back." He beckoned Naruto closer and said quietly to him,

"Do you mind taking on a simple D-ranked mission to show these Konoha ninja to our shinobi guesthouse and a place to eat? One of them, the Uchiha, was stupid enough to anger one of our shinobi on their way here. I don't trust them not to cause a fight. Relations between Kumogakure and Konohagakure are shaky enough as it is."

Naruto considered it for a while before shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. It didn't really matter; even the Raikage didn't know his true identity, so how could they discover it? And even if they updated the bingo book with Kumogakure as his base, nothing too major would come of it.

"Sure, Raikage-sama," he replied quietly. Then he stepped away from the Kage's desk and waited for the village leader to tell them what he had just decided. The Raikage cleared his throat to attract the Konoha ninjas' attention.

"I have assigned you a guide." He gestured to the silent Naruto, and Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. "Akuma here will give you an escort to a place to eat and show you to our shinobi guest house. " Shikamaru, obviously the leader of the group, bowed slightly and diplomatically thanked the Raikage for his generosity. But it was obvious to Naruto that Shikamaru knew exactly why they had been assigned a guide.

* * *

Ino stared discreetly at their guide, the Akuma Hiai. It seemed that he had instantly recognized her and Shikamaru, just as they recognized him. The blonde kunoichi gazed at the small crimson fox on his shoulder. When did he get it? He had not possessed it the last time she saw him. That fox was no pet. She made a mental note to warn the others, just in case. A voice broke her out of her reverie. Sasuke was speaking to their shinobi escort.

"Your name?" he queried arrogantly to the other, who was barely as tall as him. Ino bit back a groan. Sasuke was so disgusting. If the other ninja was shorter than him, it did not mean that Sasuke was the better of the two; in fact, everyone with half a brain should be able to tell that Akuma could kill them all with his pinky finger. She looked at Sasuke again, shaking her head. Just because he had been promoted to elite Genin after their last A-ranked mission, that had been mistakenly labeled a C-rank, he felt as if he were the strongest shinobi ever. What was Kakashi teaching them? Any good shinobi would know that their guide was an extremely powerful ninja, even if they didn't pick up that he was a missing-nin. Ino turned back to the one-sided conversation. Akuma had ignored the arrogant question, opting instead to ask Tenten if they preferred to eat or rest first. Tenten turned to Shikamaru. The lazy Genin thought for a while, then responded to Tenten that they should probably secure lodgings first. Their guide nodded and continued down the road.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was fuming at being ignored by both his teammates and the 'lowly' guide. He decided to ask again.

"What is your name?" he queried, less arrogantly. The masked shinobi turned slightly to face Sasuke. The mask reminded the Team 7 member distinctly of his sensei, but the wearer's manner did not. His sensei was easygoing; this stranger was a no-nonsense person.

"I do not wish to disclose that fact." Sasuke got so angry, he shut up. Tenten snickered as the small group came into view of the guest house. Sasuke was always lording it over others in Konoha. Now it was his time to see how it felt. She exchanged an amused glance with Ino as they entered the guesthouse. Their guide gestured to Shikamaru.

"You should go ahead and reserve your rooms." he recommended quietly. Shikamaru nodded and stepped up to the receptionist.

* * *

The lazy Nara shinobi absentmindedly gave the fangirl receptionist the list of rooms needed. However, his outward appearance belied what was really going on behind his blank exterior. His mind was in turmoil. _Akuma Hiai. Is this his base? If so, why didn't he try to conceal himself from us Konoha ninja, knowing he attacked a Jounin team a few weeks ago? Or could it be that he doesn't care if we know his base, or could this not be his base? What is he doing with that fox? It is obviously not a pet. When did he get it? Why did he call the Raikage 'sama' with that familiar tone, and how did they look as if they were well acquainted with each other? Does this mean that he is closely allied with Kumogakure? And if so, why did a ninja allied with Kumogakure attack ninja from Konohagakure when the two villages were attempting to make an alliance? _Shikamaru shook his head slightly, returning to the present. So many unanswered questions. He was getting a headache. The man was a veritable mystery. These questions would have to wait for a period when he was alone and could fit the pieces together, because there was definitely a puzzle to be solved her. The receptionist had finished adding up the bill-_why did it take her so long?_-and was currently searching for all the keys. Her head popped up from behind the desk as she located the last one, smiling brilliantly at him.

"Here you go, Nara-san." Shikamaru took the keys and nodded politely to her before distributing tem and indicating to their guard that the group was now ready to go.

* * *

Naruto let his body relax as he stood to the side. Thoughts swirled in his head like a mini whirlpool. Obviously, Shikamaru knew that his father had been attacked a few weeks ago and by whom; Naruto was no fool. He had seen the startled look of recognition, followed swiftly by confusion, when he entered the room.

_I'll need to be more careful outside the village and in my house,_ the blonde thought. _Ninja can't storm Kumogakure, for fear of making an enemy in the form of the Raikage, but they can do infiltration missions, or ambush me outside. _He exhaled slightly. The life of an S-classed missing-nin was not easy; no, not easy at all.

Then there was Ino. It seemed like every time Naruto saw her, she got prettier. She also recognized him on first sight, but it seemed that Sasuke had not, which in itself was extremely strange. Not recognize an _S-class_ missing-nin? Sasuke was filing in his place as 'the dobe' it seemed. And then there was his attitude. How could any self-respecting shinobi alienate a ninja of the village they were trying to make an alliance with? Especially one who seemed to be close to the Raikage? Naruto's fingers practically itched to punch some sense into the arrogant bastard. Naruto suddenly returned to the present as he heard Shikamaru clear his throat. The group was ready to eat. Wordlessly, Naruto turned out of the shinobi guest house and headed for the best barbeque restaurant in town.

* * *

As the small group trudged down the main street of Kumogakure, Sasuke was quiet. This was mainly because Tenten and Ino, in hushed, displeased whispers, had informed him of the identity of their guide and the ninja he had attempted to lord it over. _Kami, how could he have been so __**stupid**__? _Akuma Hiai. Why didn't he recognize the S-classed nuke-nin? Inadvertently, another S-classed nuke-nin filled his mind, and he growled. He would not go there. He had sworn to Sandaime not to go after Itachi, no matter what happened. Sasuke still didn't know exactly what happened on the night of the infamous Uchiha clan massacre, but the Hokage had dropped enough hints for him to pick up that Itachi should not be the one he should direct his anger at. He wasn't stupid; he knew that the Uchiha had started to become corrupt. Sasuke scowled. He would not fall like any of the other Uchiha; not like Itachi, who became hunted, and certainly not like his weak family members, who couldn't even fight to save themselves. They were not worthy of being Uchihas. He was the last _and_ the best Uchiha; Itachi didn't count. He would revive his clan, and make it even stronger, and greater than it had ever been, By. Himself. He didn't need anyone except a wife. Hmmm….maybe Sakura. That girl was getting smarter and stronger….plus she thought he liked her. Yes……Sakura would be the one. At least she was pleasing to look at, since she had grown into her forehead. Plus, she didn't like the dobe. The last Uchiha smirked. Life was much better without the blonde idiot. _Good riddance, dobe,_ he thought maliciously. His thoughts returned to Sakura. _Haruno Sakura, you are mine,_ he declared mentally. _You will aid me in reviving my clan._

* * *

The motley group of ninja turned off of the main road onto a quieter, yet still busy secondary one, their silent guide leading the way. They walked in silence for about a minute, then without warning, a shuriken flew out of nowhere, heading on a deadly path for Akuma. The Konoha ninja were too surprised to act; they could only watch, frozen, as the missile advanced on the shinobi. But their fears were unnecessary. Akuma suddenly spun, deftly catching the shuriken between fingers without harming himself, and hurled it back to the source. Then he straightened and called out in an amused tone.

"Kami, you never change, do you? Come on out now." A chuckled sounded, and a shinobi stepped forward from behind a tree at the side of the road. Even Sasuke showed some shock. None of them had even noticed the ninja. If it had been a battle…..a chorus shudder went through the group as the full implications set in.

The shinobi approached Akuma casually, and the two shinobi greeted each other with a friendly handshake. Shikamaru watched them closely. For two shinobi to greet each other with a handshake, spoke volumes of the trust between them. It was way too easy to slip a poisoned senbon into another's wrist during a handshake. The two men's knuckles turned white with force as they shook. Again, a handshake wasn't all it seemed. It was also a display of power. Shikamaru's sharp eyes caught the stranger's slight wince as Akuma released his hand. His estimation of the missing-nin went up a notch. Akuma was obviously the stronger of the duo.

In the meanwhile, the Konoha ninja had taken the chance to study the unfamiliar shinobi. The first thing that had struck them was the stranger's eyes and hair. They were both distinctive silver. His silver hair lay in a silken sheet about his shoulders, looking even more well-cared for than Neji's satiny mane. Said Genin regarded the man's hair in awe and slight envy. The unknown shinobi wore a mesh shirt, black cargo pants, and over the mesh shirt, a black jacket that looked similar to the Konoha nins' Chuunin vest.

"S'up Akuma," the unknown man said, grinning. He was taller than Akuma by about a foot, suddenly emphasizing the Konoha Genin that based on his stature, Akuma was just about their age, or very short for his age. The former seemed more probable, somehow. However, it only raised more questions in their minds. Who was this young ninja who was obviously stronger than a Jounin? And what rank was he?

"I can never catch you, can I?" the man continued. Akuma shook his blonde head, and the Genin, used to mask-wearers from Hatake Kakashi, could see that he was smiling rather exasperatedly.

"You've been trying since the first time we met; why don't you just give up?" The silver-haired shinobi shook his head, luminous locks flying in vehement denial.

"Never!" he grinned. Then he turned to the watching Konoha nin.

"Hey Akuma, who're these?" Their calm guide answered his friend.

"These are some visiting Konoha ninja. Raikage – sama assigned me as guide." The other shinobi glanced over the group, and then introduced himself in a friendly manner.

"Hey Konoha nin! My name is Shoushi. Hope you enjoy your stay in Kumogakure! Don't let Akuma here spoil it for you." He chuckled mischievously as a vein popped on Akuma's forehead. "I better be going!" he finished hurriedly, poofing away. Akuma turned back to the group, muttering under his breath.

"Can't believe he is older than me…..Tch." He regained his usual cool demeanour and gestured for them to follow him into a certain barbeque shop, not far from where they were currently standing.

The group walked into the shop, and the proprietor greeted Naruto with a small smile. It was the same barbeque shop that he had ducked into earlier in the day. Naruto returned the greeting and walked over to a booth large enough for all the Konoha nin to sit at. The waitress came to take their orders, immediately gaining a flirtatious air when she arrived. Sasuke began to preen, sending a smug look at Yuki, Akuma, Shikamaru, and Neji. But his ego was in for an unpleasant surprise as the fangirl waitress ignored every male at the table except Akuma.

"Akuma-san, fancy meeting you here _twice_ in one day! What would you like?" she simpered. The group couldn't see his face, but sensed his slight embarrassment and exasperation. Apparently, he had fangirls. Lots of them.

"Er-" Akuma began. "Well, actually I'm a guide for these ninja from Konoha. Raikage-sama told me to, you know, show them around for a bit." The girl beamed. "Oh! That's wonderful!" she breathed, batting her lashes coyly. Akuma shuddered slightly, and Shikamaru and Neji smirked. The quintessential curse of the fangirl had struck. The waitress turned to the group.

"Hello, what can I get you?" she queried in a disinterested tone, not even looking at Sasuke.

The group placed their orders, Sasuke still in shock. How could there be a member of the female sex who couldn't resist his charms? Tenten, Ino and Hinata came to mind, but he shrugged it off. They didn't count. But he was an Uchiha! Uchihas were to be swooned over! The last Uchiha returned quickly to the present as a large plate of steaming, aromatic barbeque pork was rested in the center of the table. Sasuke pushed his brooding thoughts to a corner of his mind and began to eat. His thoughts could wait until later.

In about an hour and a half, they had polished off the two large plates of delicious barbeque pork, Akuma still managing to eat with his mask on. The Konoha ninja turned away in frustration. Did the masked ninja have a convention every year on how to eat without revealing their faces or something? Akuma rose to his feet, and approached the proprietor at the front to pay him the bill. The group followed him, nodding at the proprietor as they passed. It was time to return to the shinobi guesthouse. The Konoha Genin followed their guide back to the guesthouse, and bid him goodbye.

"Arigatou Gozaimasu, Akuma-san," said Ino and Tenten in unison, bowing slightly. Akuma gave them a slight nod, and raised his hand in farewell as he walked away.

* * *

A pair of sharp, observant brown eyes followed the retreating figure of Akuma Hiai. _So he's allied with Kumogakure……._ The observer mused silently. So did the Raikage know of the attack? Probably not; he wouldn't have agreed to the treaty if he knew Konoha shinobi had made the first threatening move. Sarutobi put his aged hands together in a familiar sequence of seals. He shook his head as the Genjutsu settled on him, making him invisible. Being Hokage took away the thrill of going on missions. But now was not the time to reminiscence – the longer he stayed away from Konoha, the higher the chances of the discovery of his absence and the chances of something bad happening as a result.

Sarutobi walked behind the shinobi, making sure to keep a sharp eye out for person with Doujutsu abilities like the Sharingan and Byakugan; just in case. Akuma walked on, oblivious to the Hokage stalking him. The young shinobi turned sharply off of the main road onto a hidden pathway, and began walking up the stone walk. Sarutobi followed, ever conscious of physical traps and Genjutsus. As the shinobi entered his house, Sarutobi slipped around to the side, angling his path so he could get a glimpse of the shinobi inside his house. However, the Sandaime Hokage found he was unable to discern anything inside the house. A smile of surprise crossed his face. _This young ninja is truly worthy of his reputation. A Genjutsu? Well, I am the Hokage for a reason._ Sarutobi made a long sequence of hand seals.

"Genjutsu: Chuuwa no Jutsu!"

The Kage's body began to shift, becoming translucent in some areas, hazy in others. He looked like a cross between a shimmering mirage and a smoke screen. Sarutobi nodded in satisfaction. This was a Genjutsu of his own creation. It could neutralize any Genjutsu cast on him or in an area he wished to enter. Sarutobi nodded again. He could see through the windows of the house. It had worked. He watched as the shinobi entered his bedroom, systematically removing his outer clothing as he went.

The cloak was the first to go, revealing a young, well-sculpted, tanned body. His youth had been hinted at in his stature and build, and now it was confirmed. Sarutobi blinked as his eyes took in the small, but well built body. This shinobi couldn't be more than 15 judging by his body structure. Then the weapons pouch was next, and the metal knuckles and black fingerless gloves. The young male sat down on the bed, his lithe body completely relaxed. Then he bent down and unbuckled his leather boots, flopping boneless backwards onto the bed after he had finished.

Sarutobi contemplated the young ninja's relaxed state. _He must be quite confident about the Genjutsu placed around the house,_ he surmised. He had to admit that, based on the complexity of the Genjutsu he had encountered; there really was no reason to worry. If he had not developed that Genjutsu neutralization technique, he would have been defeated. The Kage's estimation of the shinobi rose another notch. However, he was drawn from his inner thoughts as the shinobi began moving again. He was…..taking off his mask.

Sarutobi would remember that moment until his dying day. Even if he went back in time to that moment, he would never be able to prepare his mind for the shock he received. Actually, it was a double shock, somewhat like a double-layered Genjutsu. You neutralize one layer quickly, yet another hits you in the face. At first the older shinobi had thought that it was his late student come to life in a 12 year old body. But then the mask dropped fully to reveal whiskered cheeks, and Sarutobi had another surprise. It was Naruto. Wait….Naruto?!?!? A feeling of acute sadness filled the Sandaime Hokage. He had to get Naruto to return.

The Hokage left his vantage point and went around to the front of the house. Raising an aged hand, he knocked on the front door three times in rapid succession. While he waited, he released the invisibility and neutralization Genjutsus he had placed on himself. He heard the sound of cautious footsteps and the door slowly opened to reveal an armed, wary, fully-masked and re-dressed Naruto. At the sight of the Sandaime Hokage on his doorstep, his azure eyes widened, and then his shoulders slumped. The preteen opened the door fully, allowing the Hokage to enter. The older man came in hesitantly, shutting the door behind him. The two males stared at each other, the air between them full of unspoken emotion.

"Naruto…." Sandaime said sadly. The young male sighed heavily.

"Sarutobi-ojisan, why did you come after me?" Sarutobi stepped forward and placed a paternal arm around Naruto's young shoulders, guiding him to a sofa in the adjoining room. They sat, and Sarutobi began with determination. It was time for Naruto to learn of his parentage.

"Naruto, I did not come to Kumogakure to look for you. Well, not directly. I had come to spy on one Akuma Hiai who had been attacked by a Jounin team from Konohagakure. The Jounin in the team reported to me that the unknown shinobi was hesitant to engage them in battle. This was unusual, to say the least, because that same shinobi had quickly, and efficiently killed _two ex-Akatsuki._ So, since I had not taken a mission in a while, I decided to check you out. Highly irregular, I know, but there you go." The Hokage shrugged. "Besides, Akuma Hiai was an S-classed ninja. By the way, that Genjutsu on the house is extremely complex. Congratulations. Even I had trouble getting through." A smile crossed Naruto's masked face, and his shoulders relaxed. Sarutobi continued.

"I came, Naruto, to inform you of your parentage, and to ask you to return to Konoha." Naruto's brow furrowed.

"Parentage? Who were my parents? I never understood why it was such a big secret. After a while, I figured that no one actually knew." Sarutobi shook his head. After realizing how much Naruto resembled Minato, he came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to conceal his heritage from other persons. It was time for all to be revealed. But something had to be done first.

"Naruto, could you remove your make? I feel as if I'm talking to a stranger." He saw Naruto's hesitant expression, and his heart sank. Had he destroyed his surrogate grandson?

Naruto watched, his heart hurting, as his surrogate grandfather and Hokage's face fell in acute disappointment and sadness.

'_Should I take off the mask?'_ he asked Kyuubi. The fox didn't hesitate in his opinion.

"**Yes, kit. Your Hokage has no ill-will towards you; in fact, he was the only one who truly loved you, as far as I can tell.**" The demon said nothing more; although he knew Sarutobi would reveal something extremely shocking to Naruto, something that had been hidden from him since birth, for his own safety. Naruto returned to the present. Lifting his hand to his face, he grasped the mask and drew it down. Sarutobi's face and heart brightened. Maybe there was still a chance of redemption.

The Sandaime Hokage gathered his thoughts and began.

"Exactly 12 years ago, Konoha had a man called Namikaze Minato as the Yondaime Hokage. Minato had just ascended to the Hokage's position, about two years before, and had married a woman named Uzumaki Kushina." He saw Naruto's eyes cloud with confusion, and smiled before beginning again. "Minato was my student, and he and Kushina were very dear to me. The Yondaime ruled for a short time, but those were the most blissful years Konoha has ever seen. Then on October 10, the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked." Naruto felt an immense sadness at the back of his mind, emanating from the gigantic fox demon sealed inside him. Kyuubi never said it, but from his actions, Naruto gathered that he was extremely regretful of Konoha's loss. He tuned back into Sarutobi's explanation. "There was much bloodshed. Countless ninja rose to protect Konoha and died in vain. The village was in a panic. Could the demon be stopped? Then their beloved Hokage came to their rescue, as a good Hokage always does. However, his solution came at a giant cost to both him and the village." Naruto broke in.

"Yes, he lost his life, and Konohagakure lost a great Hokage." Sarutobi shook his head.

"True, but that is not all he lost. He also lost his wife and son." Sarutobi could see Naruto's confusion; it was almost palpable.

"You see, Minato and Kushina had had a baby boy on October the 10th, a few hours before Minato faced the Kyuubi. Kushina died in childbirth, and Minato was forced to seal the Kyuubi no Kitsune into his precious son, whom he loved more that life itself, at the cost of his own life. He believed his son would be viewed as a hero, but the fickle people of Konoha did not oblige their beloved Yondaime's last wish, instead treating his son as if he were no more than trash."

A tear rolled down Naruto's cheek as agonized blue eyes, so much like Minato's, stared at his surrogate grandfather. Without a word, the Hokage put his arms around Minato's son, Namikaze Naruto. There were times when everyone needed a hug, even the Shinigami himself. After a few moments, Naruto composed himself.

"Why, why, ojisan?" he queried in a shaky voice, his body visibly trembling from the shock. Sarutobi understood the question Naruto was unable to ask. _Why wasn't he told?_

"On the night of the Kyuubi's attack, the first person to see you after Minato's death was a civilian," he said sadly. "The idiot believed that the Kyuubi no Kitsune had killed their beloved Yondaime and transformed into a child in order to wreak more havoc on the village whenever it wanted. Soon the entire village believed the lie. I knew that it would be useless to dissuade them, and I couldn't broadcast it; your father had too many enemies, mainly in Iwagakure. I had planned to tell you when you reached 10, but by that time, the hatred had proved too great. Any normal person would have succumbed long ago. You are strong, Naruto."

The young boy dried his tears with the back of his hand and looked up at Sarutobi.

"So my name is Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto?" Sarutobi nodded.

"Yes. There is also the matter of your inheritance. The Yondaime Hokage had a clan complex, along with a sizeable bank account, all entrusted to you for when you became of age. There is also a box of scrolls, containing two jutsus that defined the Yondaime.

Kyuubi chuckled in the back of Naruto's mind. "**This should be good. Kit will finally realize my shock.**" Naruto heard the demon, but didn't understand.

"Nani? What do you mean?" Kyuubi chuckled again.

"**Just listen to your ojisan. You'll see.**" Naruto returned to the present. Sarutobi was speaking.

"Those two jutsus are called Hiraishin no Jutsu and Rasengan. Hiraishin was what earned Minato his moniker of 'Konoha's Yellow Flash.'" Naruto shook his head, sun-kissed locks flying in complete bewilderment. He could hear Kyuubi laughing, but ignored him.

"Rasengan? Hiraishin?" he repeated in a dazed voice. Those were the names of two jutsus he created, and now Sandaime was telling him that Yondaime had created two jutsus with exactly the same name? Whoa. Naruto looked up at Sarutobi, his face expressing his disbelief. Sarutobi smiled down at him.

"Are you familiar with the names?" he asked. Naruto smirked. _Hell, yeah._ However, he simply nodded, holding up his hand when Sarutobi began to speak again.

He held his right hand out in front of him, between himself and Sarutobi, and began gathering and molding chakra. A small, bright blue sphere of concentrated chakra began to appear out of thin air, swirling furiously and rapidly growing to the size of a fist-sized rock. Naruto looked at Sarutobi.

"Is this what the Yondaime called Rasengan?" Sarutobi could only nod. Next, Naruto, after allowing the sphere of chakra to dissipate, drew out one of his special kunai. He threw it across the room, and was on the other side and back to Sarutobi in 2 yellow flashes. He turned to his surrogate grandfather.

"And is that what he called Hiraishin?" Again, Sarutobi nodded, but found his mouth, parched with shock.

"H-How?" Naruto looked at him, a solemn expression on his face.

"I created it." Sarutobi could only shake his head. He really was Minato's son….._He may surpass you, Minato,_ he thought to his deceased student and surrogate son. _You were older than him when you completed the Hiraishin, and up until your death, the Rasengan was not complete._ Aloud he said,

"Would you come back to Konoha, Naruto?"

Naruto's body immediately tensed, and a shuttered, hurt look passed over his expressive face. He shook his head.

"Arigatou, Ojisan, but there is no one there for me, except you." With that sentence, Sarutobi understood everything. The reason behind his departure, his unwillingness to show his face. He believed no one cared for him, with the exception of Sarutobi himself. The Sandaime Hokage scowled, damning the council all over again in his head.

"You know, Naruto, that's not true." The preteen raised his face to his surrogate grandfather's, the question clear in his eyes. Sarutobi continued.

"Yamanaka Inoichi, Nara Shikaku, Mitarashi Anko and Sarutobi Asuma, my grandson, all volunteered to take you in at various stages of your childhood, but their requests were denied by the council. Also, Hatake Kakashi and Umino Iruka, your two teachers, care for you." At the mention of Kakashi's name, Naruto's face darkened.

"I don't trust Kakashi," was all he said. Sarutobi sadly noted the lack of –sensei at the end of Kakashi's name. It seemed that the damage Kakashi had done to the relationship between himself and his student was irreparable. Sarutobi spoke again.

"So, will you come back?" Naruto's eyes took on a faraway look, and Sarutobi knew he was probably consulting Kyuubi. He was right.

Naruto appeared in the huge, dark cavern, his feet submerged up to mid-calf in murky water. Yet, his feet were not wet. He was standing in front of a giant cage. Then, through the darkness, a pair of crimson eyes came, growing as they came closer to the cage.

"**You should go, kit,**" said the familiar growling voice of Kyuubi. The huge crimson nine-tailed fox sat on his haunches, looking at Naruto's stationary figure.

"**Sarutobi seems to be speaking the truth. Besides, you are strong enough to kill anyone of those pathetic Konoha ninja that are stupid enough to attack you. I say go. You have nothing to lose.**" The young boy nodded, and then disappeared from his mindscape.

Sarutobi watched as Naruto's eyes refocused. His heart fluttered nervously against his ribcage, something that had not happened in a while. What would Naruto's decision be? The Kage grew alert as the Namikaze heir opened his mouth.

"I will come." Sarutobi had to forcibly restrain himself from crying in relief. Instead, all he did was smile.

"Thank you, Naruto," he said quietly. "You have no idea how much this means to me or your father." Naruto nodded, and then a smile broke out on his unmasked face.

"Thank _you_, Ojisan."


	6. Namikaze in Disguise

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Key: "Normal person speaking."

_Normal person thinking._

'_Naruto talking to Kyuubi.'_

"**Kyuubi talking to Naruto."**

* * *

Namikaze in Disguise

Ino looked despondently out of the guesthouse window of her assigned room as she strapped on her many weapons. She carried almost as much as Tenten. Against her will, the kunoichi's mind wandered to their erstwhile guide, Akuma Hiai. She frowned, her brows puckering ever so slightly. His reputation belied his appearance. The only thing that gave away his power was the way he walked, like Shikamaru. He looked rather lazy and laid-back, but you still got the feeling that he was taking in more than you. The kunoichi's frown grew more pronounced as she pondered the strange feeling every time she was around Akuma. Each time she encountered the missing-nin, she felt, somehow, that she knew him, and that he knew her, as if they shared a special link. But that wasn't possible……..the only person she had ever felt like that with was with Naruto.

"Naruto………" she breathed, almost reverently. Ino's love for the blonde shinobi had not diminished over the years since his disappearance; instead it had grown, cherished tenderly in the recesses of her heart. She didn't speak to Sakura anymore; the other girl had become a heartless monster. Sakura threw herself at Uchiha Sasuke daily, cared more about seeing 'Sasuke-kun' than training, and if Naruto was even mentioned, laughed in malicious triumph and said viciously that she was glad he was gone and that she hoped he was dead. Ino's hopes were exactly the opposite. She hoped that Naruto would come back, that he was still alive, and as powerful as she knew he could be. A wry smile crossed her lips and her frown cleared. For all her professed love for Naruto, she knew that if he returned, she wouldn't be able to confess her love for him. She was as bad as Hinata. Speaking of Hinata…….the Hyuuga girl had gotten over her crush on Naruto and noticed the one person that had always been there to comfort her, and now Hinata and Kiba were happily a couple. Hinata didn't even stutter anymore.

Ino was jerked from her thoughts by a sharp rap on the door.

"Ready, Ino!" It was Tenten. Ino looked around, disoriented, and then realized she was ready. Grabbing her weapons pouch from the bed and strapping it on quickly, she called;

"Coming!" The kunoichi walked quickly to the door and opened it, revealing a smiling Tenten. She smiled back, and the two kunoichi walked down to the lobby of the guesthouse, where the rest of their team awaited them.

* * *

The wind ruffled Shikamaru's ponytail as he sped through the trees at the back of his team formation. The Uchiha was beside him, with the two kunoichi in the center, and the Hyuuga and Yuki at the front. The Byakugan was useful for spotting oncoming enemies. The Nara's mind drifted away from shinobi matters, settling on something that had been puzzling him earlier. The missing-nin, Akuma Hiai. He was an enigma, that was for sure.

Shikamaru had been immobilized by shock when the nuke-nin appeared in the _Raikage's _office, of all places. Immediately, his mind was besieged with questions, most of which he still didn't have the answers to. The first one was the matter of his pet fox. When did he get it? That sure wasn't a pet. And did the Raikage know of the skirmish between Akuma and the Konoha Jounin team? Probably not, he mused. It had been kept incredibly quiet. He only knew because his father had been on the team and the older man had told him. Shikamaru ran over the detail in his head again.

His father's team had encountered the missing-nin on a patrol for Akatsuki members, and, according to his father, the nuke-nin had seemed rather reluctant to attack, not even making a threatening move when Anko gave him an ultimatum. And even when they attacked, he only knocked them out and cause superficial wounds, before easily escaping. Nara Shikaku had said that the nuke-nin could've killed them without batting an eyelash or breaking a sweat. So why did he only knock them unconscious? The only ones that had suffered wounds were Kakashi and Anko, from two unknown jutsus, and Asuma had not even been harmed, in fact, he was the only one still conscious.

Shikamaru's mind drifted back to the matter of the Raikage. The man seemed to be on good terms with the nuke-nin. Maybe they had come to an agreement? That was possible. For a nuke-nin, Akuma was curiously passive. Shikamaru shuddered slightly. However, he reminded him somewhat of Uchiha Itachi, the same way he seemed to have a dangerous edge mixed in with hi apparently passive nature. Maybe not as sadistic, but definitely just as dangerous. The Konoha Genin pushed the thoughts away and refocused on his teammates. It wouldn't do to die returning home from a mission, especially not when they were a few hours' travel away. The lazy ninja's thoughts began to stray again as they travelled, landing as always on his missing friend. _Naruto…..where are you? Please come home._

* * *

"Naruto? What are you doing with this painting?" called Sarutobi from Naruto's living room. The painting was an exquisite watercolor of a meadow landscape. A blonde head appeared around the doorway, blue eyes sparkling.

"Hmm….give it to me." said Naruto thoughtfully. "I'll seal it and when I move into Dad's house, probably put it up to make my own touch on the place, if you know what I mean." Sarutobi handed over the painting, surveying the now bare room. Naruto had sold all the furniture and major furnishings from the house, and was now putting the house itself up for sale. He had given the realtors notice a day ago, when Sarutobi convinced him to return to Konoha, and the realtor had already found a buyer who was willing to pay the price Naruto demanded.

"**Demanded is right,**" interrupted Kyuubi. "**20,000,000 ryo? Isn't that a bit steep?**" Naruto scoffed.

'_Please.'_ he replied haughtily. _'I've fixed up the house __**a lot**__ since I moved in, plus the neighbourhood is good, and overall it's a special house. Anyway, you didn't hear the buyer complaining, did you?'_ Kyuubi chuckled.

"**I rest my case.**"

'_Good.'_ shot back his host.

Naruto refocused on the sealing scroll in his hands and looked at the pile of scrolls labeled differently on the ground in front of him. There was one named 'All', another named 'Miscellaneous', another 'Training', and 'Food' and 'Medicine' and 'Money.' He had withdrawn almost all of his money from the Kumo's bank this morning. The sum for the house would be transferred through special courier to him, along with the remaining sum in the bank that served to keep the account open. No money meant no account. Naruto reached for the one marked 'Clothes' and drew out two items; a black mesh shirt and tight vest. Then he took off his cloak and mask and sealed them into the scroll. Next he reached for the one marked 'Training', and after some hesitation, sealed his kodachi into the scroll. Those 3 items were what defined Akuma Hiai, and he was no longer Akuma Hiai. Uzumaki Naruto, now Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, was back.

Naruto took another look at the small pile of Generic scrolls on his bed, then he reached for the one marked 'All,' and efficiently sealed every single scroll securely in an inner pocket of his backpack. Scrolls were extremely useful. Then the preteen crossed to the opposite side of the room, where his boots lay and slipped them on. He was ready to go.

"Ojisan?" he called, descending the stairs. "I'm ready." Sarutobi turned to face his surrogate grandson.

"Excellent. Are you able to put on the Genjutsu, or would you like me to do it, just in case?" The Sandaime had to ask, as up to the night before, Naruto had not fully mastered the technique. Well, it was an SS-classed Genjutsu, after all, and Naruto's strong point was definitely not Genjutsu.

The young male's hands whirled through a sequence of seals before his body began to change, blending into the background. But it stopped at his legs, so he looked like a pair of legs and nothing else. Sarutobi's face broke into an amused smile at Naruto's frustration.

"Don't worry, you will get it soon enough," he reassured. "You can keep doing it during our journey back." Naruto nodded, dispelling the incomplete Genjutsu. He stood still as Sarutobi's fingers went through the same seals he had a few moments ago, and then looked down at his now translucent self. Then he and Sarutobi walked out the door, locking it and hiding the key under the mat for the realtor and his customer, who would come later that day. The two shinobi walked through the town, looking like one, because of the Genjustu cast by Sarutobi. It was no problem exiting the village, since Sarutobi was in disguise and Naruto invisible under the Genjutsu. Sarutobi signed the ninja register, and they were off.

* * *

Naruto walked beside the Sandaime Hokage, his eyes homing in on the gates of Konohagakure no sato.

'_Here we are again,'_ he sighed mentally to Kyuubi.

"**Don't worry, it won't be like last time,**" reassured the fox. "**But I'll miss being out of the seal.**" Naruto chuckled, his spirits calming.

'_I could always let you out during training.'_

"**Good idea, kit.**" commented Kyuubi. "**Hey, where are you going to live?**" Naruto frowned slightly as they trudged closer to the gates. He and Sarutobi had spoken about just everything, except that subject. H couldn't live in his old apartment; he wasn't ready to let anyone know that he was back just yet. He had made a few conditions with Sarutobi, one; he got to choose when to reveal himself to Konoha, two; to train by himself, and three; that Akuma Hiai would completely disappear. An idea came suddenly to him, and he snapped his fingers.

'_I know,'_ he said triumphantly to Kyuubi. _'I'll henge into an unknown ninja and rent an apartment. With the way my chakra's changed, plus your Genjutsu and my new attitude, they'll never guess.'_ Kyuubi grunted.

"**I like that idea.**" Naruto murmured a vague reply, emerging from his subconscious to gaze on Konoha's gates. Both he and Sarutobi had on the Genjutsu; it wouldn't do to let just everyone know he was back yet. The two shinobi strolled casually past the Jounin guards, Naruto's lips curling into a smirk as they passed, completely undetected. Konoha shinobi weren't so great.

Naruto followed Sarutobi through town until they came to the Hokage tower. Then, focusing chakra to their feet, the two shinobi moved quickly up the wall, climbing in through the open window. Once inside, Sarutobi ensconced himself in the chair after dispelling the clone that was previously occupying it, and Naruto settled himself in the shadows. Then he whipped his hands in a series of seals, muttering,

"Ninpo: Fugenfugo no Jutsu." The room glowed purple, and Naruto looked up at Sarutobi.

"Ojisan, I'm going to rent an apartment as an unknown ninja, so don't worry about my living arrangements. I'll also let you know when I plan to reveal myself."

Sarutobi nodded, a small smile on his face.

"Just remember, you are a Namikaze, Naruto." he reminded caringly. Naruto smiled. It felt good, knowing he had family, even if they were all dead. Naruto dispelled the Genjutsu and henged into a nondescript brunet, dressed in a mid-torso jacket, tight vest, slightly baggy pants, and sandals, all black. He bowed mockingly towards Sarutobi.

"Nice to meet you, Hokage-sama," he said, his voice taking on a manly tone. "I am called Ginsen Tsurugi. Arigatou gozaimasu for allowing me to become a Konoha ninja." Sarutobi chuckled. Naruto had not lost his sense of humour.

"You may go, Naruto," he dismissed his 'grandson'. Re-casting the Genjutsu, Naruto climbed out of the window and into the street, mingling into the crowd. Dispelling the Genjutsu quietly, no one noticed a brown-haired ninja suddenly appear in the midst of the crowd. Smirking, Naruto set out to find somewhere to live.

The Jinchuuriki in disguise halted in front of a rather classy set of apartment buildings, his now brown eyes scanning them intently, before nodding n satisfaction. The brunet walked up to the sign, studying it, then turned to leave. The realtor's office was not far from here. He had found an ideal place. The shinobi trudged along the streets to the office; smiling wryly as he remembered the day in Kumo he had done almost the exact same thing. The only difference was his bank balance, and the location. His bank balance had swelled considerably, even without the proceeds from the sale of the house, since he had collected at least 15,000,000 ryo in bounties whilst travelling as Akuma Hiai. Naruto broke from his musings as he neared the realtor's address. It was a small white building, with a few windows and a blue door. Naruto pushed open the door, entering the small waiting room. The woman at the receptionist's desk looked up with a ready smile at the new customer.

"Ohaiyo, how may I help you?" she queried.

"I want to rent an apartment." said Naruto, getting straight to the point. "How much is it?" the woman didn't blink an eyelash at his directness. She replied,

"20,000 ryo per month. Are you moving in today?" Naruto nodded rather curtly, and the woman seemed satisfied. Drawing out an official-looking paper, she began filling it out.

"Name?" she said, not looking up.

"Ginsen Tsurugi." he supplied. She wrote it down, and then shoved the pen and paper at him.

"Sign here," she said, indicating the spot. Naruto leaned down slightly and signed the paper with a flourish, smiling slightly as he handed the paper back to the receptionist. The woman handed him a key.

"Apartment 3B." she stated abruptly. Nodding politely at her, Naruto took the key and walked out. Life in Konoha was starting again.

* * *

Two weeks had flown by, and Naruto was thinking of revealing his presence in Konoha sometime during the next week. Well……the keyword was _thinking._

"**You can't hide forever, kit.**" commented Kyuubi.

'_Yeah, I know.'_ sighed Naruto. He was definitely going to have to do it next week. Naruto stared into the bathroom mirror. Cerulean blue eyes stared back at him, his eyes deep pools of ………something. They were unreadable. Naruto shrugged and turned away. He supposed that with all the emotions he experienced in the past, his eyes had tired of showing them, and now remained neutral unless one emotion was predominant. He had dispelled the brown-haired man's henge since he was in his apartment, and even if someone was spying on him, he had nothing to hide. His return would just be exposed a little sooner than expected. However, he didn't think it would happen. He hadn't seen any of his former classmates since he returned, and persons had not been giving him any overly curiously looks. They seemed content to let him alone. But he would have to reveal himself soon if he didn't want to begin mingling with the other Chuunin, or else people would become suspicious.

'_Hey Kyuubi, you want to come out?'_ he asked the fox demon suddenly. _'Just henge into a cat or something, just in case. You know Konohagakure is paranoid about foxes.'_ Kyuubi chuckled, his deep voice showing both his amusement and surprise.

"**Yeah. Thanks kit,**" he said gratefully. It felt good, being able to sense everything from outside the bars of that damned cage. Once out, the demon henged into a pure black Siamese cat, twitching his tail slightly as he hopped up onto the kitchen counter. The kitsune in disguise looked steadily at his host before beginning to speak through their mental link.

"**So kit, how are you going to 'announce' your return?**" Naruto grew serious and drew up a chair to sit in, his hand going to his chin in a thoughtful manner.

"I actually don't know, I guess I was just going to tell Sandaime that he could go ahead and inform the council of my return. He hasn't yet, you know. He promised not to, until I was ready. But I can't hide forever, plus I'm big enough and strong enough to protect myself now." Kyuubi nodded in agreement to Naruto's monologue. The pre-teen continued.

"On the other hand, it seems that I have been replaced, according to Sarutobi. Do you remember the shinobi with the long silver hair in the Raikage's office seven weeks ago?" The 'cat' grunted, twitching its ears and tail to show that it was listening.

"That was him. Kagane Yuki, I think he was called. I don't like him, there was something that made me feel suspicious about him. I don't know why….just that I will watch what I say and do around him. Maybe I could practice and train by myself for a while until Sarutobi decides whether to put me back on Team 7 or make a four-man cell." The blonde sighed. These thoughts were making him hungry.

Naruto got up from his chair and walked over to the fridge, pulling out a few packs of raw pork, half-frozen. Kyuubi growled in pleasure at the intense scent of the raw meat, his tail twitching. He eyed the meat, a predatory gleam in his feline eyes.

"Henge back and come on the floor, Kyuubi," ordered Naruto. When the fox obeyed him, Naruto set about a dozen large pieces in front of him and turned away towards the stove to barbeque the pieces he had left. He needed to eat, and _now._

The pork was soon done, and Naruto sat down at the table, his stomach growling loudly as the aromatic scent wafted past his nostrils. Quickly grabbing a pair of chopsticks, he snapped them apart, then said enthusiastically,

"Itadakimasu!" He then proceeded to devour the pork. Naruto had picked up some better table manners on his travels as Akuma Hiai, and now possessed table manners so elegant as to put a noble, Hyuuga or Uchiha to shame. He had picked the new manners up the same year he had learnt to dance. Memories filled Naruto's mind as he ate.

That year had been the one he was trained by Kana. His sensei had noticed a distinct lack of the fluidity and grace required in his movements to actually make him a master swordsman. _"A swordsman without fluidity, is like a Katon-natured shinobi attempting to use Suiton-natured jutsu,"_ Kana had commented. _"It just doesn't work."_ And so he had taught Naruto how to dance. The Jinchuuriki hadn't protested too much, because he noticed that the new fluidity his body developed helped a lot in Taijutsu and stealth techniques. Now he was literally able to ghost along a forest floor littered with dry leaves and enemy ninja without making a sound. Ah, yes. It certainly did work out.

Stretching, Naruto got up and turned absentmindedly to the window, staring blindly out of it. His mind was not even present; the Jinchuuriki was too busy reminiscing over his time spent with Kana, whom he had surpassed. It was a pity, because then he would've seen a shocked Hyuuga Neji, Byakugan activated, staring right into his face from the branches of a tall tree 50 metres from his window.

* * *

Neji stared in disbelief. _Wha-?!?!? _Naruto was back. When did that happen? Everyone in the village would've known for sure. And he looked……different. More mature. The Hyuuga replayed the events of the past 45 minutes in his whirling mind. It had all begun when he had been walking through the town, coming back from picking up a new set of kunai. He had overheard two Chuunin speaking about the new ninja, now a Konoha Chuunin, originally from Kumogakure. The news had sparked the stoic Hyuuga's curiosity, along with the fact that no one knew anything about him, except his name. Ginsen Tsurugi. So Neji, seeing the man a short while after, decided to shadow the brown-haired Chuunin and try to find out more about him. Little things, like maybe his chakra nature, etcetera.

The Hyuuga had followed his fellow Konoha ninja to the new realtor's building, where he apparently paid his rent. Even more curious, Neji waited until he emerged, then followed him away with some difficulty, as the former Kumo nin was apparently extremely good at escaping and covering his tracks. If Neji had not had the Byakugan, he would've lost him, and as it was, he almost did. But he had managed to trail the shinobi to the new apartment complex, taking note of the number written on the front door. 3B. Neji had silently crept around to the side of the house, where he could get a clear view into most of the rooms with his Byakugan. Neji would always remember that moment as the most surprising one in his life. The Chuunin walked into his bedroom, casually unbuckling his shoes. Then suddenly, he made the 'ram' seal with his left hand and he 'disappeared,' revealing the features of someone Neji thought he would've probably never seen again. Naruto. Neji could only stare in shock. He had stared as Naruto went into the kitchen, talked to his cat, which had suddenly appeared from nowhere, and began to prepare something.

Now here he was, gaping blankly at Naruto's unfocused face 50 metres away from him, racking his brain for a way to get down from the tree without Naruto noticing. He watched the blonde carefully. He would have to act quickly, or else his cover would be blown, and that would _not_ be good. No, not good at all. He watched Naruto closely, waiting for the split-second chance when he could quickly descend the tree. Suddenly, his body tensed as Naruto's head began to move. The blonde shinobi turned his face away from the window, and Neji took his chance, jumping quickly to the ground. The dazed Hyuuga walked aimlessly away from the apartment complex, his feet subconsciously taking him to the town. But the prodigy didn't notice; his mind was too preoccupied with trying to process the astounding fact that Uzumaki Naruto had returned to Konoha.

Suddenly, he heard a voice calling his name.

"Neji! Neji!" It was Kiba. The slightly canine boy ran up to the Hyuuga, a curious look on his tattooed face. The Inuzuka looked more closely at the shocked Hyuuga, his brows knitting in a concerned frown.

"Hey man, what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost!" The Hyuuga was pale with shock, and he seemed completely detached. Kiba began to worry. Neji never let his emotions, especially ones like these, show, and right now all Kiba could see was pure shock. Kiba brought his large hands to the Hyuuga's shoulders, shaking his comrade gently.

"Neji! Snap out of it!" he called, his voice getting desperate. Dimly, he heard the rest of the Rookie 9, except Team 7, coming out of the restaurant behind him. Their voices were just as shocked as Kiba's at seeing _Neji_, of all persons like this. Neji opened his mouth, his eyes re-focusing slightly, and Kiba breathed a sigh of relief, releasing him.

"Naruto……." he said quietly, staring off into the distance. Kiba stepped back unsteadily, his eyes wide in shock.

"W-What?" The cry was enough to snap Neji out of his daze and back to the real world. The Hyuuga stared at the group dispassionately before answering in a monotone.

"Naruto's back."

* * *

Naruto, currently disguised as Ginsen Tsurugi, made his way out of the town towards a particular set of training grounds he had been using recently. The Namikaze heir had been training there ever since his return to Konoha, but was not afraid that someone would see his jutsus and steal them, because they were all either done without vocalization, or the seals were so fast only Sharingan could copy them, and even then the user would have to possess an unusually large chakra reserve. Naruto reviewed his training schedule mentally as he strolled to his training grounds. First, he would add 50 more pounds of weights to each limb, making the weights per limb come to a total of 300 pounds. So that meant….he was wearing 1500 pounds in total, not adding in the weight of his weapons pouch and weighted boots. Naruto nodded in satisfaction. After he had gotten adjusted to his weights, he would work on his new chakra manipulation technique, Fuiton: Sashiki Tesaki and try a normal wind-style jutsu without vocalization. Probably the onehe had created earlier last year and perfected just last week, the Fuiton: Rensa no Inbijiburu, plus his Hyoton: Hari Jizou technique. Hmm…….he had a lot to do. The Jinchuuriki walked a bit faster, then, an idea coming to him, looked around, then Hiraishined to the training ground. However, a surprise awaited him there.

When Naruto poofed into a small clearing on the edge of the training grounds, he was instantly surrounded by a group of Konoha ninja. Looking around, he realized that they were the Rookie 9, with the exception of Team 7. Hunh. Good riddance, wherever they were. Naruto stood at ease, yet still ready to do a Hiraishin if needed. He looked at them dispassionately. His disguise didn't know them.

"Who are you, and why are you attacking me?" he asked calmly. But he knew the jig was up. Somehow, they had found out that he was Naruto. His thoughts were confirmed when Kiba straightened, a disbelieving snort passing through his lips.

"Come on, Naruto, we know it's you. Dispel the henge, or whatever that is." A brief smile crossed his face, and Naruto released the henge.

"Hey guys," was all he said. The Genin observed each other, Naruto's classmates in shock at the completely different boy in front of them. There was no orange in sight, and to put it succinctly, this new Naruto was………_hot._

Spiky blonde locks tumbled in a mass around his fore head, two locks coming down on either side of his face, somewhat like an Uchiha, but wilder, the rest was just as wild, its untamed length reaching to his muscled shoulders. His face was leaner, with higher cheekbones, but still possessed a childish air, as he had just begun puberty, much like every other Genin in the clearing. His high cheekbones were accentuated by partially faded whisker marks, and his cerulean eyes were more slated than before, giving him a feline air. He was not the tallest; reaching only 5'2", he was the average height for a growing 12 year old boy. The young shinobi wore a tight vest under a mesh shirt, standard black shinobi pants, black leather fingerless gloves with metal knuckles, his hitai-ate around his neck, choker-style, and a pair of expensive leather shinobi boots. His weapons pouch was strapped around his right thigh.

Naruto's bright blue eyes scanned the group. He dismissed Neji, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, and Tenten; he had seen them recently as Akuma Hiai. His piercing cerulean eyes rested on Hyuuga Hinata, who, for what was probably the first time in her life did not faint, turn red, or push her forefingers timidly together. She had found courage. Hinata had grown quite beautiful. Her blue-tinted black hair was shoulder-length, and her clothing style had not changed, but her beautiful lavender-tinted eyes and body held a new confidence. Naruto smiled slightly, and his gaze moved to her teammates, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino.

Kiba looked more feral than ever. The tattoos on his cheekbones had been enlarged, and he now wore a furry-edged hoodie that made him look similar to his two-foot dog, Akamaru. His nails and canines were both longer and sharper, giving him a slightly bestial air. Naruto knew that this improved version of Inuzuka Kiba was not to be scoffed at. He directed his assessing gaze at Shino. The Aburame clan member was nothing if not, more stoic than ever. He was fully covered in a long, high-collared trench coat and sunglasses. There wasn't much else different about him that Naruto could tell, since he had not even spoken to his fellow Genin when he had been in Konoha. He didn't know where Lee was, but he thanked Kami that the bright green spandex-wearer was not present. He would've become a missing-nin again just to escape the horror that was Lee's grin.

Silence reigned as the Konoha Genin studied their returned comrade. He was obviously extremely powerful; even though he was no doubt suppressing his chakra, the power rolled off of him in his small movements. There was a literal reservoir of latent strength evident. Even his clumsiness had disappeared. Naruto was now as fluid as an expert dancer; his every movement was like controlled, molten lava, just waiting to be provoked. Shino's face remained expressionless, although his kikai bugs were telling him that if he tried to fight Naruto now, even with his bugs' aid, he would be defeated. That was something; Shino knew that because of his clan technique, he was probably the strongest ninja of the Genin group apart from Shikamaru. Kiba looked at Naruto, startled, as Akamaru yipped quietly and urgently, informing him that Naruto was strong enough to take on all of them at the same time, and still win. Oooo_kay._ Naruto was strong. Pause. _That was the understatement of the year._ Naruto spoke. Even his voice had changed; it was deeper, smoother, more menacing.

"How did you know I was back?" Neji stepped forward, Byakugan activated.

"I spied on the new Konoha shinobi and found you." Naruto cursed. _'Kuso!'_ Well, at least he knew that it wouldn't have happened if he was in his Akuma Hiai persona or on a mission. It seemed that he had lowered his guard in his hometown, feeling subconsciously safe. He raised an eyebrow nonchalantly.

"Oh? I see," was all he said. The group gaped. Naruto had surely changed. Where was the annoying happy-go-lucky Uzumaki Naruto? He noticed their shock and smiled wryly.

"Guys, that Naruto was a mask. I think the only persons here somewhat aware of that were Shikamaru, Neji, Ino and Shino." he remarked. "This is the real me. Not quite as annoying or loud, nor as angsty as Hyuuga here, but a perfect mix." Everyone laughed. This new form of sarcastic humour actually suited Naruto much better than his previous annoying jokes.

"So, what are you here for?" Everyone grew serious again, and Shikamaru spoke.

"Why did you conceal yourself from us? Even if we were never very close, we were comrades, weren't we? Didn't we deserve better than that, a little more courtesy? When were you going to reveal your return?" Naruto grew sober.

"You're right, Shikamaru. You do deserve more courtesy. However, I have quite a few unpleasant memories of Konohagakure, and I preferred to get re-acquainted with my home, purge my mind, before I met with you. As for revealing my return, I was going to do it sometime next week. Sandaime has allowed him to train by myself until I can be put on a team. Therefore, I might be put on anyone of your teams, not just Team 7 in particular. I understand that there is a new shinobi, Kagane Yuki. Does anyone know anything? That is, except from his description and Uchiha-like past." They shook their heads, and Naruto smiled at them, stepping forward to embrace Kiba.

"Anyway, it's good to see you all again." They laughed, and everyone moved in f r a group hug, even Shino and Neji.

"Were you planning to do anything in particular today?" queried Naruto. Shikamaru shook his head, but Kiba answered.

"No, actually. We all have training to get to." Naruto smirked.

"So do I. I'll see you later, or tomorrow then?" The group murmured assent. Naruto nodded.

"Alright then. Ja ne!" he called over his shoulder at them as he entered the training grounds. The group looked after him; smiling, then left as one.

Naruto sighed as he walked deeper into the training grounds. His cover had been blown. Ah, well. He had been planning to reveal himself next week, what difference did a few days make? He sighed again. He would have to tell Sarutobi that he could approach the council about the Namikaze heir. Pushing his thoughts aside, Naruto focused on his training. He had too much to do to worry about the council. The Jinchuuriki found the clearing he had been using for the past two weeks and sat down, drawing out two pairs of weights. Naruto adjusted the gravity seals on each weight until every single one of them weighed exactly 50 pounds. Then he strapped them on and began to try to get his body adjusted to them. The best thing would be Kenjutsu, but with the disappearance of Akuma Hiai, Shiin also had to conform and disappear, so he had sealed it away in one of his many sealing scrolls. Then an idea struck. It was the perfect time to try his new Hyoton jutsu.

Naruto's hands whipped through a series of seals, ending in 'tora', and said quietly,

"Hyoton: Hi Kata no Jutsu: Kodachi!" Almost immediately, a kodachi, crafted perfectly of ice, formed in his hands. Naruto made a few experimental swings and thrusts with it, and when he was satisfied that is was both sharp and sturdy enough for practice purposes, began on of his created sword dances, the Odori no Gougyou Tsuki. As if by magic, a shadow clone appeared, wielding a kodachi. Griming, the clone preceeded to attack its creator, and the identical duo began a solely Kenjutsu spar. After a while Naruto stopped, and dismissed the clone. An idea had come to him during his fight. What if he could summon his weapons? He could make clones of his kunai and shuriken, both normal clones and ice clones, and use them in a variation of the Shihohappo no Shuriken, except this one would be literally 'Weapons in all Directions.'

Naruto set to work, making normal clones of senbon needles, shuriken and kunai and various small daggers first, then creating ice clones of the exact same weapons. That way, he could incorporate the ice weapons in any of his Hyoton jutsus. They were also quite handy for channeling ice chakra into, so that when the opponent was hit, the wound would flash-freeze from the inside out. They would eventually die from hypothermia. Naruto smiled sadistically as he began sealing the hundred or so clones of shuriken another weapons. This attack would be called Ninjutsu: Buki Zengosayuu. The Namikaze tucked the scrolls for his new jutsu into his backpack and returned to the clearing to practice his other Hyoton jutsu.

"Hyoton: Hari Jizou!" he cried. Immediately, a forest of ice spikes sprung up around the Namikaze heir, blocking him from all sides. He smiled in satisfaction. He had finally perfected it. The last time he did it the spikes pierced him as well, which was not good. A good jutsu did not harm its user. Now, it was both the ultimate defense _and_ offense. Defense; no one could get through the spikes easily, unless they had Katon jutsu, and Offense; any ninja within 150 feet would be pierced to shreds by the suddenly emerging shreds. Plus, he could now control the direction of the spikes. Naruto's eyes became hazy and unfocused as he recalled the origin of the jutsu.

He had met a shinobi named Kaguya Kimimaro on his travels as Akuma Hiai. The Kaguya had been with a group of bandits, raiding a village. The crackling of huge fires and agonized screams of mingled pain and grief had drawn the Konoha nuke-nin, and making his way cautiously towards the battle scene, he had encountered a boy no more than 2 years older than him, fleeing the scene. He had confronted the male, and they engaged in a battle. Kimimaro had long white hair that was tied into two loose ponytails, and two red dots were side by side on his forehead, between his eyes, marking him as a Kaguya, and the last of the clan. He had used his curious bone kekkai genkei, but as he had only begun to use the technique in battle a few years ago, he had not fully mastered it, except for one technique: Hari Jizou. It was exactly like Naruto's Hyoton version, except that it was not a field of ice spikes, but instead a field of bleached white bones. Naruto had defeated him, but not without some difficulty, as the bone-breaking kicks and jutsus that would be effective against most shinobi were no more than annoying cuts to the Kaguya. However, Akuma Hiai had won the respect of the Kaguya, and they had agreed to a truce, and Kimimaro had insisted on giving him a parting gift – for 'helping him to find his purpose.' Kimimaro had taught him the seals for the Hari Jizou at Naruto's request, and from there, Naruto had converted it, with much research and perseverance, into a Hyoton jutsu.

The blonde's eyes re-focused and he shook his head, allowing the ice columns to fall and turning back to his backpack. Time had flown by, and it was now time for him to leave the training grounds and see Sarutobi. The blonde took a swig of water and with a few hand seals, Hiraishined to the Hokage's office. Naruto had placed the seals for Hiraishin all over Konoha, and even found some originally placed by his father, like in the Hokage's office, and at the hot springs. There were probably some at the Namikaze home also, he could feel them tugging at him whenever he Hiraishined past the general direction of the Hyuuga estate.

In a flash, Naruto appeared outside the Hokage's door. The two ANBU stationed outside the door looked at the Genin in shock. Uzumaki Naruto was back? The Hokage answered almost immediately, and Naruto entered the room. There was no need for words. As soon as the blonde entered the room sans disguise, Sarutobi knew that his surrogate grandson was ready to face Konoha again. He would call the council for a meeting tomorrow.

* * *

The council members stirred uneasily in their seats as the Sandaime Hokage walked in, his face unusually stern. The clan heads knew that whatever occurred in this meeting, they would not like it. Sarutobi strode to his chair between his two advisors and former teammates. Sitting down, he steepled his fingers, and looked at the assembled council. The group of clan leaders returned the gaze uneasily. Suddenly, Sarutobi placed a folder onto his desk and drew out three pictures. Rising to his feet, the Sandaime Hokage pushed them into the center of the table.

"Take a look at these pictures, and tell me who you think they are." The council members' eyes widened as they recognized the persons in the respective pictures. Some looked confused. Hyuuga Hiashi decided to speak.

"The first picture is Namikaze Minato, our late Yondaime Hokage, the second and third are of a relative to the Yondaime? Maybe even his sons? They look very similar, are they twins? Or maybe the same person at different stages of his life?" A sense of satisfaction coursed through the Hokage. It was going well. He looked around at the council members and noticed the scowl on the Haruno matriarch's face.

"Yes, Haruno-san? Is there a problem?" he asked courteously, knowing full well that the woman disagreed with Hiashi's opinion on the second picture. The woman frowned before answering.

"Hokage-sama, that second picture is of the de- Uzumaki Naruto." Some council members wore smirks at the Haruno matriarch's hasty self-correction. The last time she had called Uzumaki Naruto a demon brat, Sarutobi had confiscated 1/6th of the Haruno lands and suspended her from council meetings for a month. Everyone else got the message. Uzumaki Naruto was not to be called a 'demon brat.'

The Hokage reached for the pictures now lying facedown on the table. Holding them in one hand, he stared at them briefly. Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage, smiled back from one picture, and his son, Namikaze Naruto, stared back from the other two pictures, one without his whisker marks, and the other with them. He had purposely altered one picture of Naruto, so that the obvious resemblance to the Yondaime Hokage would be unfettered by the Kyuubi's marks. '_Oh, Minato, if you only knew how your son was treated,'_ he thought wistfully. The smiling face looked back at him, wild blonde hair and cerulean eyes reminding the Sandaime of the inhabitant of the other pictures. The Hokage looked at the other pictures again. Naruto, with a wide grin on his face, stared cheerfully up at him, his facial features a carbon copy of his father's, except for the whisker-like scars bestowed on him by the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the distinguishing mark of a Jinchuuriki. _'Naruto, I will never fail you again,'_ he vowed silently to Minato's son. Then he put back the pictures on the table. It was time for Minato's secret to be revealed.

Sarutobi looked at the Haruno matriarch, who was still waiting or acknowledgement of her question.

"Haruno-san, you are indeed correct. This photo"- He picked up the one with Naruto having his whisker marks – "is of Uzumaki Naruto." The Haruno looked triumphant. Hiashi spoke up, his white, pupil-less eyes showing confusion and skepticism.

"Hokage-sama, why does the third picture look so much like Uzumaki Naruto, yet like the Yondaime Hokage? Are the three related?" Sarutobi smiled mysteriously.

"Examine the third picture and the picture of Uzumaki Naruto together," he suggested, smiling. Hiashi picked up the two pictures, and studied them.

"These pictures are the same; it is just that one has been altered so that his whisker marks do not show," commented Hiashi. "But, he still looks like the Yondaime." Sarutobi's smile grew wider. He would let them figure it out. Nara Shikaku frowned in sudden realization, and Sarutobi felt a sense of satisfaction. He had expected the Nara clan head to figure it out first.

"Troublesome…….." the lazy Jounin muttered before beginning. "Hokage-sama, do you mean that Uzumaki Naruto is related to the Yondaime Hokage?" Sarutobi nodded.

"Yes, indeed. Uzumaki Naruto's true name is Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, and he is the only son, the only _biological_ son, of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina." The council gaped. Even Danzo had a look of utter surprise on his face. Sarutobi continued, sadistic pleasure filling him. Finally, Naruto was going to receive the recognition he deserved from the council.

"Now do you comprehend the crime that you have committed these last 12 years, treating Minato's son this way? Minato sealed the Kyuubi no Kitsune in his son, trustin his legacy to keep the village safe, and depending on the village to view his son as a hero. But instead, Naruto was treated as dirt, baser than the base. An innocent boy treated as a capital murderer. He had left the village 3 years ago; however, he has returned, and I will no longer deny him his birthright, as he has come of age. He will be allowed to live in the house that is rightfully his, and given access to his father's bank account. Are there any problems with this?" The council was silent. They knew better than to object and feel the wrath of the Sandaime Hokage. The older man was normally an easygoing person, but once provoked, a force to reckon with. Taking the silence of the council and his advisors to mean that they had objections, although he knew otherwise, Sarutobi gathered the pictures and folder and stepped away from the table.

"This meeting of the Konoha council is hereby adjourned."


	7. New Beginnings

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Key: "Normal person speaking."

_Normal person thinking._

'_Naruto talking to Kyuubi.'_

"**Kyuubi talking to Naruto."**

* * *

New Beginnings

Naruto rolled onto his back, looking sightlessly up at the ceiling. He was presently in the Namikaze house, _his_ house, in the room that obviously would have been his if his parents had lived. He didn't feel alone, however; his mother and father had pictures of themselves placed in every room, and he had found letters to him in various places in the study, library, bedrooms and dojo. The library was awesome; it put the Hokage's own library to shame. He wasn't lonely; he was overwhelmed. The house and surrounding area was huge, not as large as the Hyuuga complex, but very close. The main house was a mansion; with 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a huge kitchen, an extensive study/library, entertainment room, dining room, training room, hot tub room, and numerous balconies, it was way too big for one person. Was this how Sasuke felt? The Namikaze's eyes refocused, and he stared at the room he was in. it was tastefully decorated in blue and silver, and was bigger than half of his old apartment, with ankle-thick royal blue carpeting, luxurious curtains, elegant furniture, and a king-sized bed. Every room was just as luxurious. However, that didn't matter to Naruto. It was the knowledge that his parents had lived here, and prepared everything before their death, so that he would feel loved.

The Jinchuuriki dismissed his morose thoughts and focused instead on the matter of how to tell his friends of his heritage. He was rather surprised to find that he actually didn't want to tell anyone, at least not yet. He had not seen any of them since earlier in the week, when his cover had been blown. There were several reasons for this. First, both Team Gai and Kurenai had been sent on missions; second, Team Kakashi didn't care about him and vice-versa, and third, he hadn't gone looking for them; he had actually avoided them. Plus, they wouldn't be able to find him, even if they looked, because to all appearances, this house was nonexistent, thanks to a Genjutsu created by his father. Also, he had been hiding his chakra every time he was at the house, so he didn't have to worry about them sensing him, even when he was training, as the dojo had chakra barriers. Naruto had requested that his heritage be kept a secret from the public until he was ready to let them know. He wanted more time to adjust to his new life in anonymity. Grunting slightly, Naruto raised himself on his elbows and got up from the comfy bed. He had no food in the house; he needed to go grocery shopping.

Naruto pulled on his shoes, a pair of tight black pants, a mesh shirt and a short black jacket, and exited the house, taking the longer route, so that no one would realize just where he was coming from. He had to be extra careful; the Hyuuga estate was literally a stone's throw away. When he had moved into the house, in order to feel safe from prying Byakugan eyes, he cast the same Demonic Art Genjutsu that he had created for his first house in Kumo on the mansion, layering it along with another Demonic Art Genjutsu that his father had created to hide the house from vandals. Speaking of the house…the funds had been transferred to his account, and his account merged with his father's. It had been quite a shock to find out that he was currently the richest person in Konohagakure. It seemed that the Namikazes had owned quite a lot of businesses, and even more property. Sighing, Naruto put aside his thoughts and concentrated on getting to the town. He arrived shortly, and was soon mingling among shinobi and civilians alike, drawing both shock and unpleasant stares from persons who had not been informed of his return. Then, as he entered a sushi shop, he encountered the Hyuuga clan leader, Hiashi. Naruto bit back a groan. Kami-sama, why? Hiashi was the last person he wanted to see. However, it seemed that the Hyuuga, who was always neutral when it came to the matter of the 'demon boy', had finally chosen a side.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Uzumaki-sama," the Hyuuga patriarch said formally, giving the shocked Naruto a small bow. Naruto quickly reined in his shock, and returned the polite gesture.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Hyuuga-sama." Hiashi smiled slightly at Naruto's politeness. The Namikaze heir had grown into a fine young man, even with the treatment of the villagers, who were now staring in shock at the Hyuuga patriarch. Uzumaki-_sama_?!?! And why were they talking to each other as if they were equals, maybe even superior and subordinate? Clearly, something was different. But what?

"I see you were just leaving, Hyuuga-sama," commented Naruto, seeing Hiashi's purchase in his hands. The Hyuuga smiled slightly, even more impressed.

"It is well, Uzumaki-sama. You have not disrupted me. However, I will be taking leave of you now. It was my pleasure to speak to you."

"Dou itashi mashite. However, I believe that the pleasure was mine." replied Naruto, smiling. His cerulean eyes sparkled. "May we meet again, Hyuuga-sama." He bowed slightly to the Hyuuga, who returned the gesture, and the two males parted ways. Naruto paid for his sushi, ignoring the shocked and puzzled countenances of the surrounding shinobi and villagers alike.

Exiting the shop, Naruto decided to visit Umino Iruka, his former Academy teacher. The man had hated him at first, but then, a small friendship had formed. Was it still there? Or did Iruka hate him for leaving? Lost in thought, Naruto neglected to watch his step, and bumped into someone. The other caught his arm before he fell, and Naruto snapped to attention. It was Hatake Kakashi.

"Maa, maa, Naruto, you should watch where you are going," the cyclopean Jounin advised his former student. His voice held slight traces of humor, but the only thing showing in his eyes was pure shock. The last Hatake continued.

"You've grown, Naruto. I hardly even recognize you anymore." He looked at Naruto, snapping his ever-present bright orange book shut and dangling it from one hand. But Naruto simply returned the gaze, his eyes neither angry nor happy; just neutral.

"I see you are still a fan, Hatake-san," commented Naruto, his cerulean eyes moving to the book in Kakashi's hand. The Jounin simply smiled, attempting to conceal his shock.

It took all of Kakashi's years as an ANBU and Jounin not to betray his shock at seeing Naruto, of all people, walking casually through the town. Then, when his former student bumped into him, his shock and regret grew even more. Naruto had not even acknowledged him as his former teacher, instead speaking to him as if they were merely passing acquaintances. He snapped back to the present, remembering that Naruto had commented on his book. He had to keep up his calm front.

"Hai, Naruto, are you a fan yet?" the Jounin asked, his single visible eye crinkling and giving away his merriment. The disgusted look Naruto sent him however, was enough to wipe the fake smile from his face. He made to say goodbye, but Naruto beat him to it.

"Gomen, Hatake-san, but I have somewhere to be, excuse me." Naruto bowed semi-formally, and before Kakashi could reply to his courteous farewell, the blonde boy had disappeared into the crowd. Kakashi stared down at the ground in shame, before beginning to walk again, this time with a purposeful step. He had a few questions for the Sandaime Hokage. _When did Naruto get back? Was he this impassive to everyone or was it just him? Where was he?_ There were so many questions, none of which Kakashi could find the answers for. Kakashi picked up his pace. He wanted to see the Hokage, _now._

About 20 minutes later, the famed 'Copy Ninja' stood in front of his Hokage.

"Yes, Kakashi? I imagine you have met Naruto, is that correct?" Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"Hokage-sama, when did he return?" The Sandaime answered promptly.

"He returned about 5 days ago, but I can't tell you where he was." Kakashi nodded again.

"What about his attitude? When I met him, he was rather…….detached." The Sandaime Hokage sighed before beginning.

"Kakashi, Naruto told me at one point in time that he distrusts you. You have lost his trust, and maybe even his respect; and I don't know how you will regain it. Trust, once lost, may never be regained." Kakashi stood silently, the burden of Sandaime's words falling on his heavy shoulders. _I've messed up, haven't I, Naruto? _He asked his past student silently. _Forgive me, I will attempt to regain your trust. _Wordlessly, the Jounin bowed to his superior and exited the room, his thoughts in turmoil. _Naruto…….._he thought regretfully. _Gomen._

* * *

Naruto entered the Academy gates, memories flooding his brain as he walked past the swings, sandbox, target field and other practice areas. The blonde ignored the venomous, surprised glances and stares sent his way as he passed through the school, searching for classroom 4A. Would Iruka be glad to see him? Naruto shrugged. No matter. Even if he was insulted in front of a class of Genin and everyone else at the academy, he had nothing to lose. Suddenly, something occurred to him. None of the villagers had attempted to harm him. Usually, a few stones, sticks or even glass bottles were thrown by some of the bolder and more heartless persons, but all he had gotten so far, were hateful glances. He decided to speak to Kyuubi.

'_Kyuubi, why aren't they trying to harm me?'_ he queried. The fox demon answered.

"**That is exactly what I've been wondering, kit. There are probably two reasons. You have approximately 3 tails' worth of chakra; when chakra is measured in terms of tails, each tail is about the strength or 10 Chuunin at full force. However, you are not as strong as your chakra implies, because of your chakra control. There is no way to hide power. Yes, you might hide or suppress your chakra, but not only chakra demonstrates power; power is also shown in your movements. The other reason is probably the fact that Hyuuga Hiashi called you Uzumaki-**_**sama.**_** It such a man as Hiashi seems to view you as an equal, almost a superior, perhaps, then I am sure they are confused and hesitant to do anything." **

'_You're right, Kyuubi,'_ agreed Naruto. _'Oh well, I don't miss it.' _Kyuubi chuckled as Naruto came to a half in front of the classroom door labeled 4A. The Jinchuuriki knocked twice, and waited.

"Enter!" called Iruka's familiar voice. Naruto took a deep breath and entered the room. It was all or nothing.

Naruto opened the door quickly and quietly, and shut it behind him. He turned quickly when there was absolutely no sound behind him, to see a shocked Umino Iruka.

"N-Naruto?!" asked his former teacher in disbelief. Naruto smiled sheepishly.

"Hai, it's me, Iruka-sensei." Suddenly, the boy found himself enveloped in a hug by the older man. Teacher and student wrapped their arms around each other briefly, then Iruka stepped back, his eyes gleaming suspiciously.

"Naruto," the man began, "You're back! Everyone missed you!" Naruto raised a skeptical brow at that, but let it pass. Iruka continued.

"Where have you been?" he turned to Naruto seriously. "We need to talk." Naruto nodded. They did. Then, an idea struck him, and he leaned forward.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei, what time to you finish at the Academy?"

"4:30, why?" asked the teacher.

"I'll meet you at the gates, and we'll go somewhere so we can talk in private. Yes?" asked Naruto. Iruka nodded, then a smile found its way onto his scarred face, and he turned to the class, beaming.

"Class, I would like you to meet one of my former students, Uzumaki Naruto." The class of students was quiet, and then a Hyuuga female rose to her feet and bowed formally.

"Nice to meet you, Uzumaki-sama." Naruto stared at her. She was a Hyuuga; the white eyes declared themselves.

"What is your name?" he asked her. The Hyuuga girl looked up.

"I am called Hanabi, Hyuuga Hanabi, Uzumaki-sama." Naruto smiled. It seemed that Hiashi had told his clan members to call him –sama. This Hanabi, she must be the sister Hinata had spoken about once before he left.

"I see." he said thoughtfully. "Could you please give your father and sister my regards."

"Hai, Uzumaki-sama," the girl replied politely. Iruka broke in.

"I see some curious faces there. Naruto, do you mind if they ask questions?" Naruto shook his head.

"No." Iruka turned to his students.

"Well then, go ahead and ask!"

A young boy raised his hand. Iruka nodded at him.

"What rank are you, Uzumaki-sama?" he asked politely. Naruto smiled.

"Well, I have not taken a Chuunin Selection Examination yet, so I am technically a Genin." Hanabi raised her hand. Naruto looked at her, and she began.

"Uzumaki-sama, why did you say 'technically?'" Naruto blinked. She was smart. He thought for a while before answering.

"Well, my official rank is Genin, but I am strong enough to be Jounin." The class and Iruka gaped, and a boy raised his hand.

"Why aren't you Jounin, then?"

"There are two reasons for that," replied Naruto. "First, I have not taken the Jounin exam, and second, there are more things to Jounin than raw power. You have to show maturity, leadership skills, complete a certain amount of missions, therefore giving you the needed experience, and other factors." Another boy raised his hand. He looked distinctly like the Akimichis, even the chubby build.

"I think you're plenty mature already," he said, smiling. Naruto laughed.

"Arigatou, but I have to disagree. Are there any more questions?" One girl raised her hand slowly, as if reluctant to ask. Naruto looked at her.

"Go ahead." he encouraged. He might not like those childrens' parents, but there was no need to visit the sins of the fathers upon the children.

"Why do you look so much like the Yondaime Hokage?" Naruto gaped. The resemblance couldn't be _that _great. Recovering, he avoided Iruka's gaze and smiled.

"That's a secret, but you'll find out one day soon." The girl smiled, and Naruto bowed to the class.

"Arigatou, class, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope we meet again."

The class chorused a reply, and Naruto Shunshined from the classroom, his spirits high. He appeared in the street a few seconds later, on the road close to town. He looked around. This area was close to Team 7's training grounds. Maybe he should drop in on them. Naruto shrugged to himself. It wouldn't hurt. With determination in his step, he walked towards the training grounds. As he drew closer, he could see that here was more than one team at the training grounds. In fact, as he got closer, he saw that all the teams were gathered there, talking about something. There was no sign of their senseis. Curious, Naruto walked up to them. No one seemed to detect him; but that was no surprise. Naruto had become an expert in masking his chakra and walking noiselessly. So the entire group suffered a severe shock when Naruto walked up behind Kiba, and said calmly,

"What's the problem?"

He didn't shout it; he needn't have. Everyone, even Shino, Neji, Yuki and Sasuke started visibly. Kiba clutched at his racing heart. How the hell did Naruto get so stealthy?

"N-Naruto," he stuttered. "Please give us _some _warning next time. Step on a branch or something, ok?" Naruto smiled in answer.

"So what were you talking about?" Neji answered.

"You, actually, Uzumaki-sama." Everyone stared, even Sasuke.

"Uzumaki-_sama_?!" asked Shikamaru in disbelief. Neji nodded.

"Hiashi-sama asked the entire Hyuuga clan to refer to him as Uzumaki-sama. I do not know why." Shikamaru turned to Naruto.

"Do you know what brought this on, Naruto?" he asked, incredulously. Naruto smiled mysteriously.

"Let's just say that Hyuuga-sama and I have come to a mutual understanding." Everyone stared again, until Tenten broke the silence.

"Naruto, Team 7 didn't believe you were back." Naruto turned to Sasuke, Sakura and Yuki. He made no response to Tenten, but instead looked at Yuki. There was something distrustful about him…….

"I do not believe that I have had the pleasure of making your acquaintance," he said courteously. Ino blushed on hearing Naruto's voice. He was so mature and responsible…Yuki looked at the blonde shinobi.

"Hai. Watashi wa Kagane Yuki." Naruto nodded.

"And I am Uzumaki Naruto, pleased to meet you." Then the blonde turned to his former teammates.

"As you can see, I'm back." Sasuke looked at Naruto, jealousy welling up in him. Why was the dobe so obviously strong?

"Hn." he replied. Naruto simply gave him a look and turned to Shikamaru.

"Where's Ino?" he asked. Shikamaru smirked.

"She's over there, hiding behind Shino and Neji with Hinata." An indignant, pink-cheeked Ino stepped forward.

"You shouldn't tell lies, Shikamaru," she scolded. "I was _not_ hiding. Konnichiwa, Naruto." The Jinchuuriki smiled warmly at her, and then turned back to Shikamaru.

"What were you doing before I came?" The lazy Genin sighed. These questions were so troublesome to answer.

"Well, we wanted, or should I say, _Kiba_ wanted to spar with you, in a tournament thingy." Naruto grinned. One thing had not changed about him; he loved to spar.

"You're on, Kiba!" he said, smiling. The Inuzuka grinned in a feral way, baring his elongated canines.

"Let's go first, Naruto," he said to his friend. Naruto grinned, releasing a small amount of killer intent, and Kiba felt his blood run cold. He suddenly felt a _lot _less sure of himself. Shikamaru sighed.

"Troublesome. I'll be the proctor, Ino, you and Sakura be the medics. Where's Lee, by the way?" Chouji grinned.

"Here he comes now." And sure enough, the Genin could see a green blur gradually getting bigger as it came towards them. At the last moment, Lee slowed down and looked around.

"Yosh! Naruto-san is back! You look especially youthful today, Naruto-san!" Naruto managed a weak smile.

"Arigatou, Lee…..we're going to have a sparring 'tournament', so if you would-?" he gestured off of the field. Lee got the message, and walked off the field to stand beside Neji and Shino.

Kiba and Naruto stood at opposite ends of the field, grinning eagerly at each other. Shikamaru stood in the middle, slightly off to one side.

"Are you ready?" he asked. They nodded. "Hajime!" And it began. Kiba and Naruto flew at each other, both using some strange style of Taijutsu. It was animalistic, almost primal, and the killer intent emanating from both awed the observing Genin. The two Genin flew across the clearing, moving at high speeds. Kiba was fast, but not as fast as Naruto. The Inuzuka had already suffered a couple of bruises and scratches, but Naruto was unharmed. Shikamaru watched Naruto closely, his eyes widening as he came to a conclusion. Naruto was just playing with Kiba. His thoughts were confirmed when Naruto quickly made some seals, evident only by the movement of his hands. It was then that Shikamaru wished he had the Sharingan. Suddenly, Kiba yelled in pain, and collapsed, bleeding profusely from a number of vicious gashes all over his body. Everyone stared. What did Naruto do? Kiba struggled to his feet, grinning despite the pain. Naruto was _strong._ He raised his hand.

"Proctor, I forfeit."

"Damn, that Uzumaki kid is strong," said a familiar voice next to Shikamaru. The Genin turned in surprise, and his eyes widened. It was Asuma. Almost all the shinobi he knew and a few others had gathered at the training grounds, no doubt attracted by the large amounts of chakra being released. Naruto helped Kiba over to Ino and Sakura, who quickly healed his wounds.

Then Sasuke stepped forward, his Sharingan already activated.

"Fight me, dobe." Naruto simply looked at him.

"Hn." He replied to the Uchiha, taking up his stance, then smirked as Sasuke pulled out a kodachi. '_I wonder when he picked that up,'_ he thought to Kyuubi.

"When did you get that?" he asked Sasuke, curiously. Sasuke smirked.

"I got the inspiration from a nuke-nin in Kumo. Akuma Hiai. You wouldn't know him." Naruto nearly laughed. If only Sasuke knew that he got it from Naruto himself. The Jinchuuriki suppressed his mirth forcefully, and managed to look slightly envious.

"You're right, I don't know him." Then he smirked, pulling out a kunai.

"But, I'll try to do my best against your kodachi." Naruto knew he would win. He had trained with his clones, exactly like this. The clone used a sword, and Naruto his bare hands or a kunai to block the sword. It was easy, really. All he had to do was a version of the chakra scalpels on his hands, only sharper. Naruto took up a stance similar to the Byakugan's Hakke Rokujouyon Shou. Neji turned to his uncle in puzzlement, his Byakugan activated.

"Hiashi-sama, what is Uzumaki-sama doing?" Hiashi shook his head. He had no idea.

"I don't know, Neji," he answered. Suddenly, a Jounin in the crowd chuckled, and everyone looked questioningly at hi. It was Hayate Gekko, the famous Konoha swordsman.

"That gaki." He muttered. The Jounin turned to everyone. "Naruto is using a version of the medic-nin chakra scalpel, obviously, but he combined it with a sword dance. It seems that he knows how to wield a kodachi, but doesn't want to reveal that particular piece of information at the moment to Sasuke. Smart guy. I would watch out for him when the Chuunin Selection Exams come up." Everyone looked at Naruto with new respect.

_Wow…….._ thought Shikamaru. That was some initiative. The crowd returned to the battle, eager to see the outcome.

Meanwhile, Naruto looked at Sasuke levelly.

"Come on, Uchiha," he said calmly. "Get serious, and stop trying to play me. I'm getting bored. Give it your all. Try and kill me." Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he shifted into another stance, re-sheathing his kodachi. It was Ninjutsu time. The Uchiha began making handseals, and Naruto grinned in anticipation. No one here knew what kind of chakra nature he had, and he would fool them now. Sasuke put his hands to his mouth.

"Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!" he yelled. Naruto smirked, and made a series of handseals.

"Suiton: Daitoppa!" he said in response. He didn't really need to call it out, but he didn't feel like showing off. He'd leave that for the Chuunin exams. Sasuke's eyes widened as a wall of water enveloped his fire jutsu and swamped him. He was lucky he could swim, or else he'd have drowned. He was so surprised, he couldn't even copy the jutsu with his Sharingan. Jaws dropped around the clearing. Naruto had defeated Sasuke without breaking a sweat. Hyuuga Hiashi stared in amazement.

"His chakra stores are more than ¾ full…….." he mused quietly aloud. Everyone stared even more. Naruto was indeed strong. Genma stepped out of the crowd and walked over to Naruto.

"Hey, my name's Genma. You're strong, and I know you'll get stronger. What do you say to a little spar? Not right now, the Chuunin Selection Exams are coming up, and you need all the practice you can get, but maybe after?" Naruto nodded.

"Sure, Genma-san." The older shinobi laughed.

"Just Genma, just Genma." Naruto smiled.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Then Lee stepped forward.

"Yosh! Will you have a Taijutsu spar with me?" he asked Naruto eagerly. Naruto's face lit up.

"Yeah! Let's go!" Shikamaru shook his head. That was some crazy stamina. Before the lazy Nara could even say 'Begin!' Lee and Naruto had flown at each other. Soon, their speed had increased until only the Sharingan could keep up. To everyone else, ti looked as if invisible bombs were exploding at random places across the field. All they saw were sudden clashes, raising dust, and small craters that told them where the ninja stepped. Suddenly, Lee stopped.

"You are most youthful, Naruto-san!" he yelled. "I have to take off some weights to keep up!" the spectators stared, their jaws millimeters from the ground. _Lee_ was having a challenge? Rock Lee was this generation's Taijutsu master! How could he have a challenge? Lee took off about 200 pounds, and dropped them to the ground, making a small, but deep crater. Then he flew at Naruto, who increased his speed.

_Think dancing,_ Naruto told himself. _You are dancing, dodging senbon and arrows._ It worked. Naruto managed to evade Lee, all the while keeping up with the other Genin and even landing a kick every now and then. To the others, it still looked as though they were invisible, but to Kakashi and a recovered Sasuke, it looked as though Naruto was dancing, mocking Lee's attacks. His moves became graceful, almost like a waltz, but when he kicked or punched his opponent, Lee went flying. After a while, even Lee was tired, and he forfeited. Naruto fell to the ground, panting.

"Thanks, Lee," he said. "That was the best Taijutsu spar I've ever had." Lee beamed at the compliment.

"Arigatou, Naruto-san! You also are very youthful!" Naruto just laughed, and got up, crossing over to a dazed Shikamaru. Neji looked curiously at Naruto.

"Uzumaki-sama, why didn't you take off our weights?" Naruto grimaced. Neji really should go back to calling him Naruto.

"First, call me Naruto, or Naruto-san if you have to. I didn't take off my weights, because I wanted to see how far I could go with them on." Everyone gaped again. He kept up with Lee, with his weights on? Even Lee had taken off some of his.

"Incidentally, how much pounds are you wearing?" asked Shikamaru. If Naruto was only wearing 50 pounds, it would not matter. But if he was wearing more than 200, then……. The Nara waited anxiously for the answer.

"A total of 1500 pounds." answered Naruto. Even Lee stared. Then the spandex-wearing Genin exploded.

"YOSH! Naruto-san is indeed youthful! That is 200 more pounds more than what I wear!" At Lee's declaration, all heads swiveled to face Naruto, who shrugged.

"What can I say? Training hard pays off." He smiled. Shikamaru simply shook his head and Yuki narrowed his eyes. Only Naruto.

* * *

I hope everyone liked this chapter! It's not very eventful, but should set a foundation for Naruto's return to Konoha. Please review!

Credit goes to Vanillaice1 for the description of the Namikaze household!


	8. Team 7: Together Again

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Key: "Normal person speaking."

_Normal person thinking._

'_Naruto talking to Kyuubi.'_

"**Kyuubi talking to Naruto."**

**

* * *

**

Team 7: Together Again

Hanging in the air, Naruto kicked and punched at a clone. He had almost perfected his air-walking technique. Just as Kyuubi had predicted at the beginning, he had become so comfortable with the technique that it had become second nature, and almost felt more natural than fighting on the ground. If he listened carefully, he could hear Sasuke and Sakura training. The sounds were still unfamiliar to him; he had only begun training with Team 7 since last week. He had been training for a while by himself, then with Sarutobi once or twice per week. He had perfected the Genjutsu Sarutobi had shown him on his return, and, in addition, found out that he could dispel Genjutsu and detect them almost expertly, thanks to his enhanced senses, but was horrible at casting them.

The Jinchuuriki's cerulean eyes glazed over slightly, his limbs continuing to kick and punch rhythmically, almost mechanically, at the clone in the air as his mind traveled away from the present world. Two weeks ago, when he had gone to see Iruka, he had had a heart-to-heart talk with the older now-Jounin. His fears of rejection had been in vain. Iruka had listened to his story without a word, and at the end, embraced him, and sternly told him to never run away from Konoha again, because it hurt those who loved him, and if he was going to run away, he should at least tell his friends first. Then he re-welcomed him to Konoha, and they went out for some delicious barbequed pork.

Naruto sighed as his mind turned to Ino. He hadn't seen her at all recently, what with training and missions. He must've gone on at least 25 missions since his return. In addition, he didn't have the courage to talk to her. An image of the other blonde passed through his mind, and he sighed again. Ino was so beautiful… Suddenly, a sound came in the bushes, and he spun, tensing for an attack. However, his eyes landed on Yuki, and instead of relaxing as he should, he tensed even further. The other shinobi was emitting a rather disturbing aura, and Naruto felt his uneasy feeling grow. The ninja was up to something; Naruto just knew it.

"Hello, Yuki." he greeted, managing to look as if he noticed nothing. "What brings you here?" The ninja smiled, and in answer, lunged at Naruto. The pseudo-pleasant smile changed to a scowl, and soon Naruto and Yuki were engaged in a fight to the death. Parrying thrusts from Yuki's kunai, Naruto focused chakra to his ears. Where was Kakashi when he was needed? Then he growled in frustration. He didn't have the time or the energy for this.

"Why are you attacking me, Yuki?" he asked calmly. The other shinobi sneered.

"You stupid Konoha nin, trusting every and anyone. My name is not Yuki, it is Muta, Shibashi Muta, and I am an Iwa nin." Naruto frowned. This Iwa nin had obviously found that he was a Namikaze. He decided to play dumb.

"So why are you attacking _me_ of all people? There is the 'last' Uchiha, don't you want _him_?" Naruto's stomach roiled in protest at having to utter words of praise for Sasuke, but there was no choice. Muta had to believe that he and everyone else genuinely thought that Sasuke was the better catch for an enemy ninja. Muta sneered, his beautiful face twisting in disdain and hatred.

"That Uchiha is so weak…… He'd never survive against an Iwa nin. Besides, _you're _the one I want revenge on. _You're _the Namikaze. All Iwa nin hate Namikaze Minato, and it is no different with you, his heir." Naruto frowned again. Was that so? Well. _He_ was not going to die, not today. Hiraishin time. Concentrating, Naruto disappeared in a yellow flash, and before Muta could blink twice, he had been trussed up in chakra ropes and a paralyzing seal slapped on his back. As Naruto reached for Muta, ready to sling him over his shoulder and Shunshin to the Hokage's office, he heard a sudden, violent rustling of bushes, and tensed, but relaxed a few seconds later, when Kakashi burst through the undergrowth. The Jounin looked at Naruto.

"Are you okay, Naruto? What happened?" queried the 'Copy Ninja' in an obviously worried tone. Naruto looked at Kakashi as if seeing him clearly for the first time. _I wonder if he really does care…._ he mused. Such concern couldn't be faked, not with the expert chakra-readings Naruto could conduct, thanks to Kyuubi. It was this that made him answer Kakashi civilly.

"Yes, I'm alright. But _he-_" gesturing to Muta, "is not. I need to go to the Hokage's office." Kakashi shook his head. Naruto looked exhausted, as if he would collapse any moment.

"Iie, you stay here, Naruto. I will carry him. You are exhausted." Reluctantly, Naruto let go of the Iwa nin, collapsing as soon as he did so. Vaguely, he registered that he was worried that Kakashi would discover that he was a Namikaze. But somehow, he couldn't bring himself to care. Did this mean that Kakashi had regained his trust? Any further thoughts faded away as Naruto succumbed to the blackness edging his vision. He was so tired……..

Kakashi threw the temporarily paralyzed ninja over his shoulder. The shinobi he had known as Yuki snarled and struggled valiantly. After a few minutes of the ninja's struggles, Kakashi halted. 'Yuki' sneered.

"What, going to let me go? That Namikaze kid didn't stand a chance against me, I waited until he had almost finished training." Kakashi stared. _Namikaze kid?_ he thought in alarm. His mind scrambled to put the clues together. 'Yuki' had been fighting Naruto….. he said he was fighting the Namikaze kid…..who was rumored to have died… Blonde hair, blue eyes, no-nonsense aura…… _Oh Kami-sama, no!_ screamed the Copy Ninja mentally. How could he not see it? Naruto was Minato-sensei's son! At this revelation, the Jounin felt more ashamed. They had treated Naruto so badly. The fact that he had been close to Minato only made it worse. Feeling a strong urge to simply fall to the ground and scream in agony, Kakashi gripped 'Yuki' firmly and Shunshined to the Hokage's office. He had questions, and he wanted answers to them. Now.

The cyclopean Jounin soon stood in front of Sarutobi's desk, glaring at him as hard as possible. Sarutobi looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"It was probably for the best, Kakashi," said the Hokage, wistfully. "Look how well he turned out." Kakashi looked solemnly at the Sandaime.

"Yes, but at the price of his bonds. Can Naruto ever forgive me?" The tormented Jounin turned away and looked out of the room, gesturing to the ANBU.

"Bring him in here." The two ANBU on duty promptly deposited 'Yuki' in a chair in the Hokage's office. The shinobi looked at Sarutobi, smirking. The Hokage began.

"Firstly, what is your name?" The ninja did not hesitate. Smirking, he replied,

"I am Muta, Shibashi Muta, and a proud Iwa Jounin." Sarutobi's face grew graver. Iwa….. Muta smirked again, his sadistic laughter filling the room.

"So you know what that means, _Hokage-sama_?" he asked mockingly. Not waiting on an answer, he went on. "I have already sent off the message. That Namikaze brat will be killed somehow. Remember the Chuunin exams? You already invited Iwa, and to forbid us to come would start a political war. We know where the Namikaze is. Oh, how sweet the taste of victory is!" Kakashi's face darkened, along with the Hokage's. The last Hatake walked back over to the door and summoned the ANBU.

"Take him for a 'therapy session' with Ibiki," the Jounin ordered. "Ibiki will decide what to do from there on." The ANBU nodded and Shunshined away, leaving Kakashi to re-enter the room.

Back inside the Hokage's office, Kakashi raised his one visible brow.

"So?" he queried. The Sandaime shook his head.

"Keep quiet about this." he ordered. "Don't tell Naruto you know unless he asks' it will be revealed at the Chuunin exams, most probably at the preliminaries of the 2nd stage." Kakashi nodded silently, and the Hokage dismissed him. The one-eyed shinobi exited the room, his thoughts in turmoil. In a dazed state, Kakashi walked away from the tower. He didn't know how long he walked, but when he finally came to his sense, he was close to where he had left his student. Entering the clearing, he was unsurprised to see that Naruto had awoken. The two shinobi looked at each other, a very pregnant silence between them. Then Naruto broke it.

"Do you know?" His voice was curt. Kakashi nodded. The Jounin opened his mouth to speak.

"I know you don't want to hear any apologies from me, Naruto, but I truly am sorry." With that, his teacher turned and walked away. It was up to Naruto now.

* * *

It had been a week since the 'Yuki' incident, and Naruto had yet to train with the other members of Team 7. The first time Kakashi had asked them to meet him for training, Naruto had shown up, but flatly refused to even speak to Sakura, and just the mere thought of Naruto made Sasuke hopping mad. In addition, Naruto still slightly mistrusted Kakashi. All of this meant that the only time the other members of Team Kakashi saw the Uzumaki was in the morning, when he met with them as courtesy and in missions. Fortunately, even though they disliked and mistrusted each other, the members of Team 7 were mature enough to understand that differences were to be put aside on missions. But Sasuke had had enough. How did the dobe get so strong? The Uchiha thought back to when they had sparred a week ago. He had wielded his kodachi, and Naruto nothing. But somehow, the dobe had beat him thoroughly, humiliating him in front of _everyone_. The Uchiha decided to wait until Kakashi ended their training session. Then he would spy on Naruto. Maybe he could copy some of his moves with the Sharingan. An evil, sadistic smile spread over the last Uchiha's lips. The dobe would be devastated, and Sasuke would get stronger.

Sakura stared in concern and bafflement at the tall figure of Uchiha Sasuke. Was he alright? A sudden smirk covered his features, and the fangirl forgot all about her concern for his well-being in her admiration of his handsome features. _Sasuke-kun….._ she thought wistfully. _If you only knew how much I loved you… you would love me back._ The rosette smiled dreamily at this belief and drifted off into a dreamland of her own creation, where Sasuke-kun confessed his love to her, and they shared a hot, passionate kiss right in front of Ino, and then got married a year later and had tiny Sasukes with pink hair and onyx eyes running all over the place.

Sasuke didn't know if Kakashi had dismissed them early because he had realized that neither he nor Sakura were paying any attention to their training, or because he wanted to read his porn book in peace, but he was glad for the reprieve. Now he could spy on Naruto. The Uchiha activated his Sharingan and cast a Genjutsu on his female teammate, Haruno Sakura. Smirking, he walked stealthily away. _That should keep her busy for a while,_ he thought triumphantly. The Genjutsu was one of him and her, where he kissed her and asked her to marry him. Sasuke hated it, but it was effective against persistent fangirls like Sakura.

The Uchiha followed the trail he had seen Naruto take earlier, using his Sharingan, smirking to himself at the image of Naruto's shocked and betrayed visage when Sasuke used some of his jutsus and claimed them for himself. Sasuke strode silently through the foliage, onyx eyes bleeding into Sharingan red, as he sensed Naruto's suppressed chakra aura. A sadistic enjoyment arose in Sasuke as he watched his blonde teammate. _What was he doing?_ Sasuke observed Naruto as his hands flashed through a few hand seals, before saying quietly,

"Suiton: Mizu Kabe no Jutsu!" Almost instantaneously, a solid wall of water appeared in front of the blonde, blocking him almost entirely from view. Sasuke scanned the wall with his Sharingan.

_Hn. _he thought. _That isn't just an ordinary wall. The water's infused with his chakra._ He smirked. He wanted one more jutsu.

It was almost as if his thoughts were controlling Naruto's actions, because the other Genin smiled in satisfaction at the perfect execution of his Suiton jutsu, then began making more hand seals, ending with 'tora'. If Sasuke looked any harder, he would gain Mangekyou Sharingan. Naruto called out,

"Hyoton: Hari Jizou!" Sasuke's mouth dropped open in a way very uncharacteristic of an Uchiha. _When since had the dobe been able to do Hyoton jutsu? _Not even Sasuke, although he had the Sharingan, could perform a Hyoton jutsu, having never seen one to copy. Sasuke was not stupid. Naruto did not have any Doujutsu with copying abilities, so that meant that his chakra must be the same affinity as the chakra in the jutsu performed. So that meant that Naruto was both Suiton and Hyoton-natured. _Two _chakra elements? The Uchiha's brow furrowed in jealousy. How come the dobe got all the good things? Sasuke looked back at Naruto, noting the spiked, uneven columns of ice that now surrounded the blonde for about 50 feet, obscuring him from the view of all but those possessing Doujutsu like the Sharingan. Then he turned away angrily, shoulders stiff in ire. The dobe got _everything._ It wasn't fair.

However, Sasuke was overlooking a few things in his anger and jealousy, two to be exact. The Uchiha had forgotten that Naruto was hated by almost every shinobi and civilian in the village for a reason unknown to him, and that he had no family. Even Sasuke had had a family, even if it was only for the first six years of his life. The Uchiha had also either forgotten or simply did not realize that there was a possibility of Naruto having not two, but three chakra natures. He thought that Naruto was Suiton and Hyoton natured only; however, to execute Hyoton jutsu, one must have either totally Hyoton-natured chakra, or be able to combine the Suiton and Fuiton chakra natures. So, even though he couldn't be sure, there would be the distinct possibility of Naruto actually having three chakra affinities rather than just two.

Sasuke made his way hastily through the bushes back to the Uchiha compound. He couldn't wait to train and master the stolen jutsu, then flaunt them and watch Naruto's saddened face as everyone hailed the last Uchiha as one of the best Konoha ninja ever. The dobe would have nothing, and he, everything. He would smirk at the other Genin as he was lauded, and knowledge would dawn in his teammate's blue eyes, along with anger and intense betrayal, but he would be unable to do anything about it. For who would believe him over the Uchiha? Who indeed? Sasuke cackled almost maniacally, savoring the future.

Looking up, Sasuke realized that he had reached the outskirts of the Uchiha compound, and made his way quickly over to the small area where he always trained. Settling into a fighting stance, Sasuke began making hand seals identical to Naruto's. He would try the Hyoton jutsu first. The 'last' Uchiha finished the series of hand seals, and called out,

"Hyoton: Hari Jizou!" Faster than even the Sharingan could see, jagged, lethal columns of ice sprung up around the Genin. Suddenly, sasuke's eyesight began to blur, the Sharingan's tomoe slowly spinning to a halt and dissolving ever so slowly to reveal his onyx eyes as the images on the ice bled together in a kaleidoscope of red, white and black. _That jutsu took almost all my chakra, _realized the Uchiha as the glistening ice columns faded, and his lifeless inert body began to fall. His chakra stores had been depleted to almost only 1/16 of his normal chakra. The uchiha's last thought was of Naruto.

_How much chakra does the dobe have?_ he wondered enviously, before passing out in a dead faint from chakra exhaustion.

* * *

Naruto sighed. Today was October 10, the anniversary of the attack of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the Yondaime's death and his birthday. In the past, he celebrated his birthday by receiving multiple beatings from the Konohagakure shinobi and civilians, up until about 3 years ago, when he had left Konoha. Now he had returned, and it was his birthday again. _Oh well,_ he thought bleakly. _ At least I'm not getting beatings for a present. _Suddenly, Naruto heard the front knocker. _That was odd. Only a select few persons know of the existence of the Namikaze house. _ Frowning slightly, he called,

"Coming!" and, ruffling his hair, went downstairs, shirtless. When he opened the door, he was greeted by a female Hyuuga Jounin, who blushed a cherry red when she saw the shirtless blonde. Naruto looked inquiringly at her, and she snapped back to attention, her face a flaming beacon of red. Kyuubi chuckled in Naruto's mindscape.

"**Fangirl much?"** he asked wryly. Naruto raised an eyebrow at the Jounin, waiting for her to continue, and ignoring the fox demon.

"U-Uzumaki-sama, Hyuuga-sama has invited you to the Hyuuga compound for a formal birthday celebration at 6:00 pm this afternoon," she said meekly. Naruto barely managed to maintain an emotionless façade at the Hyuuga's message. Regaining control of his manners, Naruto bowed his upper body slightly.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Hyuuga-san. It is my pleasure to attend this celebration. Please give Hyuuga-sama my regards." The female blushed a bit before returning the shallow bow and shunshining away. Naruto was about to close the door, when an ANBU suddenly appeared on his doorstep, exactly where the Hyuuga had been only moments before. Naruto's eyebrow twitched. _'Busy morning much?'_ he thought to Kyuubi exasperatedly. The inu-masked shinobi bowed before relating his message.

"Hokage-sama would like to see you, Uzumaki-sama," the male reported in a respectful tone. Naruto nodded in comprehension and the ANBU Shunshined away. Closing the door with a gigantic smile on his face, Naruto went back to the bedroom to dress. He couldn't wait for the party; he had never been to one before. What did Sarutobi-ojisan want? The blonde quickly shrugged on a mesh shirt and tight black civilian's pants, tying his hitai-ate in its customary place around his neck. Naruto took one last look at his reflection in the mirror, ignoring Kyuubi's sly comments at the back of his consciousness, and then turned and Hiraishined out of his bedroom, reappearing directly in the Hokage's office. Sarutobi's face brightened at the sight of the young ninja.

"Ah Naruto," he said brightly. "Happy Birthday!" Naruto's expression of excitement did not change, as he grinned widely.

"Arigatou, Oji-san," he said, smiling in appreciation. To him, his birthday was just another day in his life, nothing special, but he loved when persons wished him a happy birthday or gave him presents. It meant that they cared. The Sandaime Hokage beckoned to Naruto, gesturing to his surrogate grandson to come closer. With a slightly confused look, Naruto did as he was told. When Naruto was close enough, Sarutobi reached into his desk drawer and took out a small, golden locket on a delicate chain. Handing it to Naruto, he smiled and said:

"Open it, Naruto." The blonde furrowed his brows in confusion, then gently pried open the locket. His eyes widened as they took in the contents, and then a few silvery tears began to run down his tanned cheeks. Looking up, he smiled happily, albeit a bit tearfully.

"Arigatou, Oji-san," he whispered.

Naruto would treasure that locket for the rest of his life. Inside the locket was a picture of both his father and mother, smiling happily up at him. The fact that they had left this with Sarutobi for him…… He was no longer alone. Just wearing the locket made him feel as though his parents were there with him, loving him and protecting him, even though he couldn't see them. The Jinchuuriki fastened the gold jewellery around his neck, before directing another smile at his 'Oji-san.'

"Arigatou," he said clearly to the Sandaime. The Jokage smiled.

"Go enjoy your birthday now, Naruto," he dismissed his surrogate grandson. Naruto nodded, and Jiraishined back to his house to train. It was only later that he realized that he had forgotten to tell Sarutobi about the party.

The hours passed quickly, and before long, it was 5:30 pm. Cursing as he realized the time, Naruto ran from the training grounds to his bedroom. He had exactly 30 minutes to bathe and dress himself for a formal party. _I wonder whose birthday party it is?_ he thought to himself as he got ready. It was the first time he had gone to a birthday celebration; he probably would've gone to Iruka's if he had stayed in Konoha. Frowning slightly, the blonde pulled out a ceremonial kimono he had bought a year ago when he attended a New Year's celebration in Kumogakure on sat. It was a beautiful kimono. The shoulders were a light blue that gradually brightened into an azure blue the same color as his eyes in the middle of the garment, and then darkened into a rich dark blue at the hem. The sash was the same dark blue as the hem. Naruto hastily ran a brush through his golden locks and took one last look in the mirror before Hiraishining to the Hyuugas' gate. The Jinchuuriki bowed to the guard, trying hard to suppress his excitement. It would not do to explode with excitement at the Hyuugas', the clan renowned for their Byakugan and stoic demeanor. The Hyuuga guard nodded in comprehension, opening the gate so he could enter.

"Konbanwa, Uzumaki-sama," he said politely, smiling. Naruto returned the smile and entered the estate. No sooner had he done so, than Hyuuga Neji came out of the house ahead, a slight smile coming to his pale face as he saw Naruto though the rapidly darkening twilight.

"Konbanwa, Uzumaki-sama," he said to Naruto, giving him a slight bow. Naruto frowned. He didn't like that one of his friends was calling him –sama. He returned the bow, and then looked at the Hyuuga.

"Neji?" he said. The Hyuuga looked at him.

"Hai, Uzumaki-sama?" Naruto grimaced, and continued as the Hyuuga began walking, beckoning to Naruto to follow.

"Please call me Naruto, or even Naruto-kun; I do not wish my friends to call me –sama. If Hyuuga-sama asks you why you do not call me Uzumaki-sama, please tell him that I request all of my friends to call me only Naruto." Neji nodded, and then came to a halt in front of a darkened room. Naruto noticed this, at the same time that he still hadn't gotten the chance to ask Neji who the party was for. He sent Neji a look of confusion. The Hyuuga only smiled and gestured for him to enter the room. Mentally shrugging, Naruto entered the room. He could always protect himself, anyways.

But what happened next was the exact opposite of what Naruto was expecting. The moment that he stepped through the door, illuminated only by a shaft on silvery moonlight, what seemed to be a darkened, empty room, became a bright, people-filled room.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" yelled everyone inside. Naruto gaped. _They must've been hiding their chakra signatures,_ he realized. The Namikaze grinned and laughed along with his friends. He _loved _surprises.

"Thanks!" he yelled over the now loudly-playing music and chattering voices. A few of his Genin friends came up to him, large grins on their faces, and all wearing formal kimonos.

"Hey, hey, birthday boy!" said Kiba loudly. "I never believed we would ever have a party like this at the Hyuugas'! Old man Hiashi must really like you or something!" The group laughed, and a very un-Naruto-like smirk covered the blonde's face as he nodded.

"You're right Kiba, _or something._" Then Ino came up to him, carrying a birthday cake. Naruto thanked Kami that he was good at pretending, because he was confused as to what to do. Hey, it was his first birthday party after all, he would know what to do. His azure eyes scanned Ino with a light of appreciation, making her blush.

"Happy birthday, Naruto-kun!" she said in unison with Tenten and Hinata, who appeared behind her. Naruto hid his surprise at the endearment on his name, and smiled cheerfully.

"Arigatou, Ino-chan, Hinata-chan, Tenten-chan!" he said, then, unable to resist, turned to Neji and Kiba.

"Don't worry guys, I'm not making any moves on Tenten and Hinata!" Kiba glared at the hysterically laughing Naruto, his cheeks dusted a cherry red. Even Neji was blushing, albeit slightly, and Ino was red with the insinuation of Naruto's statement. Shikamaru sighed.

"Troublesome," he mumbled. Ino cleared her throat, drawing their attention back to her.

"Time to cut the cake, Naruto-kun," she said happily. Naruto smiled.

"Sure!" he replied ecstatically. The Namikaze blonde followed Ino to the table set in the centre of the room, taking the time to scan her outfit.

The Yamanaka kunoichi was beautiful. Her long blonde hair was caught up in a high ponytail, and she wore a deep purple kimono that complimented her perfect porcelain skin perfectly. _Ino…._ thought Naruto wistfully. He wasn't ready to show her he like her just yet. But the –kun on the end of his name gave him renewed hope. Maybe she liked him too. He snapped back to attention as they stopped at the table and Ino turned to him, her blue eyes shimmering with some mysterious emotion and handed him a knife. Then an idea came to him.

"Hey Ino, do you want to cut the cake with me?" The Yamanaka blushed slightly, but grinned back at Naruto.

"Sure, Naruto-kun!" The blonde kunoichi stepped closer, and both placed a hand on the handle of the knife. They blushed in unison as Shiranui Genma, resident open pervert, began catcalling and Kiba, as irrepressible as ever, followed suit. Iruka sent them a stern gaze and looked at the two blondes.

"Are you ready?" They nodded, and Iruka grinned.

"Go!" The two hands applied pressure to the knife in unison, and the tool cut smoothly through the cake, slicing through a layer of blue icing, with the words 'Happy Birthday, Naruto!' on it, then the white cake itself, and finally resting on the plate. They withdrew the knife, and Naruto set it down, smiling at Ino. Then they turned away simultaneously in embarrassment and Naruto began scanning the room for something to do to distract himself from the flush of embarrassment that threatened to take residence on his face.

"Looking for me?" said a jovial voice behind him. Naruto whirled, grinning widely up at the Sandaime Hokage.

"Oji-san!" The Hokage embraced his surrogate grandson, a wide smile on his wrinkled face. The duo ignored the stares, knowing that everyone had a reason to be surprised. Naruto had never told his friends exactly how close he was to the Hokage. And after all, it wasn't everyday that the Hokage deemed a birthday celebration important enough to come to in person. Naruto pulled away, blue eyes sparkling happily.

"You knew," he accused. The Hokage only smiled, something deep inside beginning to heal at the sight of a truly happy Naruto.

"Guilty as charged," he said, smiling. Then he turned to Ino.

"Konbanwa, Yamanaka-san," he said to the wide-eyed blonde, who had never been this close to her Hokage. Regaining her poise and manners, Ino bowed slightly.

"Konbanwa, Hokage-sama!" she said brightly, smiling at her beloved Hokage. Then, remembering something Iruka had said to her, she turned to Naruto.

"Presents time."

"Sugoi!" he replied, grinning at her. Ino smiled warmly in return, and they walked over to the other side of the large room, where Iruka was waiting, Hokage in tow.

* * *

Ino watched Naruto was he accepted present after present, his cerulean eyes sparkling like stars in happiness. A dreamy look cameonto her face as she looked at him in his blue kimono again. _Naruto-kun is so handsome….._ she mused, watching his sun-kissed blonde locks flipping around on his head as he nodded and laughed. His lean, muscular build was concealed by the kimono, but Ino knew it was there. Earlier today, Hinata had told her that the Hyuuga messenger had seen him _shirtless. _ She blushed at the thought, then dismissed it. Now was not the time.

The Yamanaka looked around the room, her eyes lingering on some persons. Just about everyone was here, except Sasuke and her former best friend, Sakura. She humphed slightly. Sasuke was so stupid, and Sakura too. They only cared about themselves. Ino moved on to another train of thought, realizing that thinking of Sasuke and Sakura would make her unhappy. Instead, she concentrated on trying to see exactly who had come to the party. There was Shiranui Genma and his twin, Raidou, the swordsman Hayate Gekko – Inoonly knew him because he was a good friend of her father's – Asuma-sensei, Kurenai-sensei, Hatake Kakashi, Iruka-sensei, Chouji, Shikamaru, Tenten, Lee, Gai-sensei, Shino, Hinata, Neji, Kiba, and the Hyuuga clan leader, Hyuuga Hiashi. Ino watched incredulously as Hiashi spoke to Naruto, a slight smile gracing his pale features. Naruto smiled back, and the two males bowed respectfully to each other and Hiashi moved away. _Wow._ Ino thought. Naruto-kun sure had some friends in high places. Then Ino snapped to attention. She hadn't given her present to Naruto yet! The kunoichi scrambled to the other side of the room, joining Tenten and Hinata in the group surrounding Naruto. Spotting her present on the other table, she picked it up and re-joined the group. She had gotten Naruto a set of chakra senbon; he could channel his chakra into them for a more deadly effect on the enemy. _I hope you like them, Naruto-kun,_ she thought, smiling to herself.

* * *

Naruto waved happily at Hiashi, Neji and Jinata before disappearing in a Shunshin. The party was over, and Naruto had never experienced so much fun in his life. He had gotten so many presents, even from people he barely knew! He had met the famous Konoha swordsman, Hayate Gekko, and planned to ask him for a match after the Chuunin exams, where he would reveal his true strength. Genma had reminded him of their own match, and Naruto had happily reassured him that he would never forget. Asuma had been a bit skeptical, as Genma was one of the strongest Jounin, but his twin, Raidou, had told the Jounin sensi that Naruto was much stronger than he looked.

Naruto looked at the pile of presents on his bed. He had loved all of them. Genma and Raidou had both given him scrolls for healing jutsu, telling him that one day, when his 'natural healing properties' failed him or someone on his team needed help, he would be glad for them. Iruka-sensei had given him a black leather choker with a golden Kitsune hanging off of it. He would have to wear his hitai-ate on his forehead now. Shikamaru had given him a Shouji board, complete with pieces and a how-to book. He would have to challenge the lazy Genin someday. Chouji had given him a coupon to an excellent barbeque restaurant, Ino a set of chakra senbon, Tenten, a black vest with the kanji for 'kitsune' on it, Neji an expensive watch, since, as he quoted, 'A good ninja is always on time.' Hinata had given him a set of excellent, custom-made kunai, each crafted from different metal alloys to adjust properties of sharpness, weight, chakra sensitivity and speed. Hyuuga Hiashi gave him a book on how to use the Hyuuga's Hakke Rokujouyon Shou, saying he had seen him use a similar attack on Sasuke, and that he knew Naruto could be trusted not to let the technique fall into the wrong hands. Neji had whispered to him that Hiashi viewed him almost like a surrogate Hyuuga clan member. Just as a precaution, Naruto had double-sealed the book into two scrolls. He didn't want to break the trust between himself and the Hyuuga patriarch. Lee had given him a book on Taijutsu, and Gai-sensei, surprisingly, a book on opening the gates painlessly. Naruto felt he owed a great favour to Tenten for forcing the Taijutsu masters not to get him a green spandex suit. He didn't know _how_ he would have possibly accepted it graciously. Kakashi-sensei had given him a coupon to the local weaponry store for 10,000 ryo. He could get anything he wanted, at any time. It was the first genuine smile he had given his teacher. Maybe their bond could be replaced and repaired. Kuranai gave him a scroll with a torture Genjutsu, and offered to aid him with it, Asuma-sensei a pair of trench knives, Kiba a pair of metal claws that could be easily strapped on – he had apparently noticed Naruto's animalistic style of Taijutsu, and Shino, a book on poisons. The other members of Team 7 were absent; however, it didn't bother Naruto. He had had fun without them. The blonde sighed happily, and climbed onto his bed.

'_Looks like I have plenty friends this time around, eh Kyuubi?' _he asked the demon fox. The Kitsune, who had been quiet the whole night in order to let Naruto enjoy his birthday party to the fullest, grunted in reply.

"**I have a present for you too, kit."**Naruto raised his eyebrows.

'_What's that?'_ he asked curiously.

"**I'll give you tomorrow, when you're not so tired,"** replied the demon. **"Just go to sleep for now."** Sighing contentedly, Naruto did as he was told, and dreamed of his parents smiling happily at him.

The next day, Naruto woke up early to train. The Namikaze smiled to himself as he made his way to the training room. He could _see_ his progress. A yawn sounded in Naruto's mindscape, and he knew Kyuubi was awake.

'_Hey Kyuubi, are you going to give me my present now?'_ Kyuubi grunted.

"**Yes, kit. First, go in the training room, because this will make your chakra levels flare."** Naruto frowned. What kind of gift was that?

'_What are you doing, Kyuubi?'_ he asked.

"**I'm going to give you some of my chakra, by filtering it through the seal,"** explained the demon. **"The seal will purify the chakra. However, I am only giving you half a tail's worth, or else the seal will destroy both me and you. You should probably rest for a few hours after this."** Naruto nodded.

'_Ok, Kyuubi,'_ he answered. The blonde entered the Namikaze training room, shutting the door behind him. He looked around uncertainly, and then squatted on the floor, cross-legged in the center of the room.

'_I'm ready,'_ he told the demon. Kyuubi needed no other assurance. Naruto's body suddenly felt as if it was on fire, as Kyuubi's chakra seeped through the seal and into Naruto's chakra coils. His skin began glowing red, and his tenketsus points became inflamed, as if Neji had performed Jyuuken on him. Soon the pain became unbearable, and Naruto began to scream in agony.

'_Some birthday present,'_ he mused shakily through his own screams of agonized pain. Then a particularly vicious surge of pain shot through his entire body, and the Jinchuuriki convulsed violently, screaming for all he was worth.

"**That was the last one, kit,"** said Kyuubi to Naruto. **"You better go to sleep."**

'_H-Hai,'_ replied Naruto shakily, his body still convulsing slightly from the aftereffects of experiencing so much pain. He turned onto his side, and passed out, body and mind exhausted.

It was about 12:00 when Naruto finally awoke. Thanks to Kyuubi's healing chakra, his body felt as good as new. The blonde stretched, yawning lazily, and got up, freezing as he did so. His chakra stores had obviously grown. Was half a tail of chakra this much? He decided to contact Kyuubi.

'_Hey Kyuubi, did you only give me half a tail's worth of chakra?'_ asked the Namikaze heir.

"**Iie."** Replied Kyuubi. **"I managed to give you almost a whole tail of chakra, by sending it out in extremely thin streams to your chakra coils though the seal's filter. That was why it hurt so much, because there was a constant 'attack', you might say, on your chakra coils and pathways. You do know that your chakra control is shot to bits now, right?"** Naruto groaned. It hadn't occurred to him yet.

'_Damn you, Kyuubi,'_ he snarled at his demon inhabitant. Then he sighed. Well, at least he could train without worrying about Team 7 seeing his techniques, since he couldn't do them. _I have to get my control back before the Chuunin exams,_ he thought seriously. Sarutobi had told him of the Chuunin Selection Examinations before he returned, and Naruto had begun preparing as soon as he heard. It was still a few months away, 8 to be exact, but being ready never hurt. He didn't think the other Genin knew yet, but their senseis sure did, from the way Naruto saw them training their students. But Kakashi hadn't even bothered with pushing his team. Naruto growled, and then pushed the thought of Kakashi away from his mind. He needed something to eat.

Twenty minutes later, Naruto's stomach was comfortably full, and he was ready to train. The Namikaze exited the front door, locking it behind him; then made a few hand seals and Shunshined to the training grounds Team 7 always used. When he arrived, the other members were already there. Sakura was supposed to be working on Genjutsu, but instead was eyeing Sasuke with a fangirlish gleam in her green eyes, and Sasuke, ignoring everyone around him, was repeatedly charring stumps of wood with his Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu. Kakashi sat in the crook of a tree, the ever-present orange book held in front of his semi-masked face. All three ninja looked up, however, when Naruto made his appearance with a strong gust of wind. Sakura's fangirlish expression was immediately exchanged for a mulish, hateful one, and she glared at the Namikaze, who passed her as if she didn't even exist. Sasuke's onyx eyes followed Naruto's lithe frame as he passed, burning a hate-filled glare into his shoulder-blades. He had not forgotten his envy at not being able to do jutsu that Naruto could. Kakashi himself tensed as Naruto passed. The Genin had, almost palpably, gotten stronger. _Maa…maa…he wasn't this strong last week…_ mused Kakashi in surprise. _It's as if he got stronger overnight. Maybe he was simply suppressing some of his chakra?_ The Jounin immediately discarded the idea. _Nope, he's still suppressing it, but his aura just feels….different, just as when someone strong like the Hokage passes. Their chakra is suppressed to a normal level, but yet still you __**know**__ that they are about 10 times stronger than you._ Kakashi stared at his former student, questions growing in his brain, and all without available answers. Naruto was a veritable puzzle.

Naruto walked across the training grounds, not acknowledging the other members of Team 7, and stopped in front of the tallest tree present. Channeling chakra to his feet, he began walking slowly up the trunk, feeling the curious stares of the two Genin and one Jounin on his back. When he realized that he was walking almost subconsciously, he picked up the pace, and reached the top in a matter of seconds. Satisfied, he walked back down the tree until he was only two feet away from the base. Then he drew out a kunai, and picked a dry leaf from the ground. Placing the kunai on one finger, he channeled chakra to the digit, and the kunai immediately adhered itself to the finger. Then he channeled chakra to his other palm, and stuck the dry leaf onto the palm. After all this, he began walking back up the tree. Several times, either the leaf or the kunai dropped, but as the hours passed steadily by, he felt his previous high-Jounin level chakra control returning. By 6:00, he had regained his chakra control, but his chakra stores were less than half full. Contemplating his stores, Naruto decided that he had enough to at least do a Kage Bunshin. 8 bunshin suddenly appeared beside him, and Naruto grinned. Yahoo! Goodbye bad chakra control, hello excellent chakra control! Ignoring Team 7's surprise at the sudden appearance of the clones, Naruto dispelled his doppelgangers and Shunshined away, back to his house.

The remaining members of Team 7 stared blankly at the spot that had, up to a few nanoseconds ago, housed their comrade, and then Sasuke grunted in disdain.

"Hn. That dobe didn't even do anything for all the time he was supposedly 'training.'" Kakashi shook his head.

"No, Sasuke, you have it wrong. That was very intense training indeed; I doubt I could do it, or you, for that matter." Sasuke looked simply furious at being told by his sensei that the one he loathed was stronger than him. The Hatake continued.

"Naruto was doing some very advanced chakra control exercises. Chakra control needs great stamina and concentration, especially if you have abnormally large reserves like Naruto. To be able to do chakra control exercise for 6 hours, and still have enough to do an S-class jutsu like the Kage Bunshin….that's quite a lot of stamina and chakra." Sasuke scowled.

"Hn." was all he said. Sakura looked at Kakashi crossly.

"That's not true, Kakashi-sensei! Sasuke-kun is way stronger than Naruto!" Kakashi simply looked at her, amusement obvious in his visible eye.

"When you come to your senses, Sakura, you'll make a fine kunoichi." With that cryptic statement, Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves, and Sasuke and Sakura, being unable to use Shunshin, were forced to walk home.

* * *

Did you like it? Did you? Did you? Please review and tell me what you think, even if you hated it!


	9. Chuunin Selection Exams

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Key: "Normal person speaking."

_Normal person thinking._

'_Naruto talking to Kyuubi.'_

"**Kyuubi talking to Naruto."**

Chuunin Selection Esams

"Checkmate." Kiba stared, before leaving with Ino and Chouji at their request to get something to eat for the five Genin. Who would've thought that Naruto was smart enough to out-strategize _Shikamaru_ in a game of Shougi? The boys had begun to play about a week after Naruto's birthday. Shikamaru had given him a Shougi board as a present, and Naruto had been taught by the Sandaime Hokage for strategized training, taking to it like a fish to water. In no time at all, he had beaten the Hokage badly, and challenged Shikamaru. Everyone was skeptical at first, as Shikamaru was literally a strategizing _genius,_ but Naruto soon disabused them of that notion by checkmating the Nara in their very first game. The games had escalated from there on until they became a regular fixture. After every mission, Naruto and Shikamaru would come over to Kiba's, and they would play Shougi as a form of relaxation. Sometimes, Naruto won, and sometimes Shikamaru was the victor. The 13 year olds were rapidly gaining a reputation for their strategizing skills among their peers; Naruto creating more of a surprise than Shikamaru, whom everyone had already acknowledged as a genius. But the emergence of Naruto's strategizing skills staggered everyone. He _was_ regarded as a dobe before, so the new facts were mind-boggling. Not even Asuma-sensei had been able to best Shikamaru, and Naruto had checkmated the other Genin in their _first_ game. Yes, that was something to be acknowledged.

Shikamaru smiled ruefully at his blonde friend. He and Naruto had grown extremely close over the past 4 months since they began to play Shougi together, and Shikamaru had realized that he had been right all those years ago when he used to think that Naruto was not as stupid or as oblivious as he appeared. The Nara leaned forward, steepling his fingers in the odd gesture he always did when concentrating on something.

"You know," he began, "I always thought that you were not showing us the _real _Naruto, and now I know I was right. Why did you pretend to be idiotic and oblivious? Even now, I know you still hold back in spars." Naruto smiled, cerulean eyes lighting up in appreciation. He chuckled wryly before speaking.

"You know Shikamaru, I always wondered what it would be like to have a friend who knows you inside and out, and now I do. You were right, I always held back. But it was for a good reason. As a child, I was beaten and reviled, and I'm sure you know why." He met Shikamaru's steady gaze and held it for a few seconds before continuing. "And if I showed strength, the civilians and shinobi would fear me and attempts on my life would be more in earnest and not just a way of fun." Shikamaru nodded. He had had some idea as to why Naruto had held back, and knew that his life had been bad, but up until now, he had never fully comprehended the magnitude of torture and hatred Naruto had endured as a child. But Naruto was wrong on one point. Shikamaru did not know why the villagers hated him, and he couldn't bring himself to ask. Now he had to find out. However, whatever it was, Shikamaru was pretty confident that it wouldn't change his and Naruto's friendship. He wouldn't let it.

Naruto leaned back in his seat, feeling his neck and shoulder muscles pop from the strain of staying in one position for an extended period of time. The Namikaze enjoyed playing Shougi with Shikamaru. The game took his mind off of troubling matters, and allowed him to spend time with his best friend. The blonde adolescent turned as his ears picked up the sound of the door to Kiba's home opening and closing. Kiba's mother and older sister were both away on missions, and so only the Genin were present in the house, except for the other clan members.

The sound of crunching grew louder, along with the sounds of 3 pairs of footsteps, and Naruto knew that Ino, Chouji and Kiba were back. The trio had gone to get some barbecued pork to eat, whilst Naruto and Shikamaru played Shougi. The scent of the pork wafted into the room, preceding the other Genin, and Naruto's and Shikamaru's stomachs growled simultaneously. Pushing away from the table, Naruto walked to the door, meeting the small group and confiscating the pork. He smiled warmly at Ino as he passed her, making the other blonde blush slightly.

"Coming, Ino-chan?" he called over his shoulder. The two Genin had taken to calling each other Ino-chan and Naruto-kun since the night of Naruto's birthday, 4 months ago. The two adolescents had grown closer and closer as Naruto and Team 10 hung out more and more; Naruto and Ino occasionally going on an official 'date' with Shikamaru and Chouji to the cinema, or to eat barbeque. It was almost as if Naruto had become a member of Team 10. Kiba was also often a member of their small gatherings, since he and Naruto were rather close, and he was included by default.

The five friends sat down together at Kiba's kitchen table, chattering away as the barbeque pork disappeared rapidly. Naruto and Chouji were having a barbeque contest, Naruto's taste having changed from ramen to barbecued pork. Currently, it was a tie, and both Kiba and Ino were in shock. How did Chouji and Naruto hold all that food? Naruto was even an Akimichi! Shikamaru closed his grey eyes.

"Troublesome…." he muttered, looking up at the ceiling as if expecting to see his beloved clouds floating past. Ino smirked.

"There will be a day when you will be too shocked or too absorbed in something to say 'Troublesome', and I'll just say I told you so." Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Do you mean like with you and Naruto?" The parties in mention reacted simultaneously. Ino turned a cherry red, and Naruto, across the table, suddenly choked on a piece of pork. Kiba, Chouji and Shikamaru smirked. Naruto and Ino were forever teasing or playing pranks on the other Genin, and now they had discovered a way to keep them in line.

The time passed quickly, and all too soon, it was time for the respective Genin to go home. Shikamaru left the earliest, as his mother was unbearably strict about curfew, and Chouji accompanied him. As had become the norm, Naruto was going to walk Ino home.

"You ready, Ino-chan?" the blonde teen called.

"Hai!" came the kunoichi's quick answer, and Ino appeared at the door.

"Arigatou, Kiba!" smiled the beautiful blonde, waving at the hospitable Inuzuka, Akamaru on his head.

"Yeah," chimed in Naruto. "Oyasumi nasai!" The two Genin made their way back onto the main road, and began the trek back home. It was quiet; both Genin were tired, and the night was too beautiful to mar by speaking aloud. Halfway to the Yamanaka home, Naruto realized that Ino was beginning to drift off whilst walking, she was that exhausted. The Namikaze halted, ignoring her drowsy look of surprise, and scooped her up, bridal-style in his arms. Immediately, a light blush dusted her cheeks, but the Yamanaka kunoichi said nothing; instead, she laid her head on Naruto's chest, making him blush in turn, and drifted off to sleep. The shinobi walked for a few minutes, getting progressively more exhausted – tiredness combined with the dead weight of a sleeping person was not a good combination. Naruto suddenly had an idea. Making a one-handed seal, the Genin disappeared with a large gust of wind, and reappeared with an equally large gust at the front door of the Yamanaka home. The Namikaze knocked on the door and waited. This home was one of the few that Naruto was welcome and felt welcome at. A few seconds later, Yamanaka Inoichi appeared at the door. The Genin handed over the sleeping Ino, bowed politely, and Shunshined away.

Yamanaka Inoichi shut the front door of his home quietly behind him. His daughter's long blonde hair, so much like his own, swung slightly over his arm as the shinobi strode to his daughter's room. The Yamanaka clan leader's thoughts reverted to the Genin who had brought his daughter home. Namikaze Naruto. Naruto, son of the Yondaime Hokage. Inochi wasn't blind; he knew that Ino felt some affection towards the Namikaze heir and vice versa. However, a few months ago, he had realized that Naruto was merely biding his time until his true heritage came out into the open, and then he would show his feelings for Ino to Ino herself. Inoichi shook his head. Naruto was wise beyond his years, and Inoichi, knowing that Ino did not know Naruto's 'furry secret', did not say anything to her. It was not his secret to tell. He would leave Naruto that honour. _Treat my daughter well, Naruto…_he thought, shutting Ino's bedroom door behind him. _A father's most precious possession is his child._

The clear, mirror-like surface of the water was broken by a series of large ripples, the disturbance warping the previously perfect reflection of a tanned face with deep azure eyes, surrounded by golden locks. Naruto stared down as his reflection, and then turned away to peruse his surroundings. He was currently at the Konoha Lake, deep within the forest that occupied the western area of Konohagakure. He had not been here since he left Konoha three years ago. It was still as beautiful as ever. The large body of water was a liquid mirror, and its tranquil surface lazily reflected the fluffy, white clouds and various black specks that were birds that crossed the blue skies overhead. An occasional ripple formed here and there as small fish and water insects came in contact with the surface, breaking the beautiful water landscape for only a few seconds. Naruto looked around, feeling at peace. This place always calmed him, and made him feel secure. He was the only person here, having come to practice his Suiton jutsus. Naruto sighed, and then walked further out onto the body of water. The young shinobi began making a series of hand seals, fingers flying.

"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!" Instantaneously, the water in front of the Namikaze leapt up as if possessed and arced through the air, directed by his hands to a spot a few meters away and landed with a crash strong enough to break a bone of the imaginary opponent.

Naruto smiled, satisfied. But there was just one niggling thought. He had been unable to perform this jutsu to its full extent without some form of water present. _How to remedy that?_ The blonde shinobi stood for a moment on the water, thinking furiously. But even after 30 minutes, he still came up blank. Shrugging, Naruto placed it at the back of his mind. He had one special jutsu in mind. The Elemental Rasengan. Currently, his Rasengan was Fuiton by default, since his chakra was wind-natured. But he wanted to do a Suiton Rasengan.

The blonde held his right arm casually out at arm's length, his elbow crooked slightly. He began concentrating water to his hand from the lake, channeling chakra through it. A sphere began to form in the center of his palm, swirling dangerously, the edges expanding ever so slowly, until….it stopped, and dissipated. However, Naruto was not discouraged. He was actually elated. Just that small beginning was pure evidence that the Rasengan could, indeed, be adapted to other elements. Naruto began again, the chakra-infused water swirling hypnotically in the center of his outstretched palm. This time, he tried to keep it small, for a longer period of time, and was filled with elated triumph when he succeeded.

Naruto stayed at the lake for the rest of the day, attempting to complete the new Rasengan in stages. By the end of the day, he had managed to make and sustain a water Rasengan about 3 inches in diameter of half an hour. Then, as he as trying it for the last time, a small dog swam up to him. Naruto stared. It was obviously a summons, but whom in Konoha, had a dog contract? He frowned. The answer was on the tip of his tongue…but he couldn't seem to find it. His question was answered when the small dog gave him the message in a baritone voice quite disproportionate for his size.

"Hatake Kakashi requests your presence at Team 7's training grounds, Uzumaki Naruto," the small brown dog said, importantly. His sense of pride at being summoned was obvious. His voice was directly at contrasts with his perpetually sad, worried face; brisk and business-like. Naruto turned to the dog, letting the half-formed Rasengan dissipate in his palm.

"Very well," he replied. "Tell Kakashi-sensei that I will be there immediately." The sad-faced dog nodded curtly, and sped away. Naruto watched him for a few seconds, and then walked over the water back to the lakeside, Shunshining away once he reached firm ground.

When Naruto arrived at the training grounds, the only persons present were Sakura and Sasuke, who looked as if they had been there all day. The pink-haired kunoichi gave Naruto a baleful glare – she wasn't enough of a kunoichi to actually emit killing intent – and began to taunt him, still miffed from their previous practice session when Kakashi had declared Naruto stronger than the Uchiha. Naruto ignored her petty insults – if he tuned her out well enough, the malicious words faded to discordant screeching – and strode past her in the direction where a paralyzed Uchiha Sasuke stood, his body incredibly tense. They had not spoken since Naruto had been pronounced the stronger of the duo by Kakashi, even though they had encountered each other a few times since then. Their eyes met and held in an intense, borderline hostile gaze as Naruto drew closer to the Uchiha. Naruto bit back a smirk. Sasuke was getting intimidated. The Namikaze continued to hold the intense eye-war, now standing still at about two feet away from the 'last Uchiha.' It wasn't long until the other lost control; Naruto could see the signs – spastically twitching fingers, increased breathing patterns, dilated, rapidly shifting eyes, and anxiously tensed muscles. It was only a matter of time.

Sasuke watched with bated breath as Naruto began to walk in his direction. Onyx clashed with cerulean, and the two boys engaged in an all out eye-war. When Naruto didn't break the unblinking gaze, even after almost a minute, Sasuke began to lose his composure. He could feel Naruto's heavy, fear-inducing – even if he would never admit it – chakra pressing in on him, all around him. His heartbeat sped up, thundering in his chest and resonating in his ears. _Does he know?_ the Uchiha thought furiously. _Did he purposely do that jutsu, knowing that I was going to copy it and fail to execute it? Was he watching when I tried it back at the Uchiha compound? Or did someone see me spying and tell Naruto?_ He bit back a scowl. That second branch Hyuuga would just love to catch him doing something like that. They still hadn't broken the gaze, and Sasuke could feel his famed Uchiha control beginning to waver. Sasuke's thoughts swirled furiously in his mind, until he was a maelstrom of negative emotions, just waiting for that comment or action that would create the small crack in his exterior to let the flood of emotions through. His hands were clenched at his sides, knuckles white in anger as he endeavoured to calm himself. _I am an Uchiha!_ _Uchihas do not lose control! _he screamed inside his head, even as he struggled to continue to meet the clear, cerulean gaze of Uzumaki Naruto. _I will not lose control!_ His fingers curled in on themselves, like some miserable parody of a dying, helpless creature that knew death and defeat was inevitable, making fists at his sides, and he snapped.

Naruto watched Sasuke's control deteriorate, ignoring the pink-haired harridan's screeches of 'What are you doing to Sasuke-kun!' behind him. The famous Uchiha control was wavering under the force of emotions threatening to break through. Then Sasuke snapped. The teen exploded in fury, pushing chakra to his feet and virtually _flying_ over to where Naruto stood two feet away.

"Did you do it?" he screamed, shaking in barely suppressed rage and intense hatred. "Why wouldn't it work? What did you do? My Sharingan can copy every jutsu!" Naruto gaped. What _was _Sasuke talking about? His brow furrowed. Obviously, the Uchiha had some secret tormenting him, and that secret seemed to have to do with Naruto himself.

"What are you talking about?" he asked the Uchiha blankly. However, this only served to enrage the other.

"You know what I'm talking about, _Uzumaki,_" the incensed male spat, onyx eyes glittering in fury. "You would have to know, _you_ planned it. Did you laugh in anticipation when you did that stupid jutsu and pretended not to notice when I used Sharingan to copy it? Did you know I was going to try it and fail, and almost_ die_ from chakra exhaustion? Was it you who carried me to the hospital, hoping that my chakra would be totally gone, or at least, leave me weak? Did you watch as I failed to execute that stupid jutsu? Are you enjoying my loss of self-control? Are you sad that the 'last Uchiha' didn't just _die_ and leave you alone? You're just like Itachi – you – " But what he was going to say was cut off by Naruto's chakra beginning to flare and the boy himself slamming painfully against a nearby tree. Naruto's eyes glowed in anger.

"Do _not _compare me to a murderer." he said icily, tightening his hold on Sasuke's shirt. His chakra aura flared almost painfully, and he released the Uchiha. Sasuke met Naruto's gaze defiantly.

"Why shouldn't I? Didn't you try to kill me with that Ice jutsu?"

Naruto's face grew dark with suppressed fury.

"_You _copied _my_ jutsus, and now you're accusing me of an elaborate plot to kill _you_? You're worthless, but I wouldn't kill you. Tell me one good reason I shouldn't report you for this." Naruto shook his head as he tried to regain control of himself and his chakra. He hadn't felt this angry in ages. _If you lose control, then Sasuke and the villagers win,_ he chastised himself. _Deal with this as calmly as possible._ The Namikaze drew in a deep breath and stepped away from the Uchiha, leaving a normal distance in between them. He turned to his teammate.

"You will never become truly strong by leeching off of stronger persons and boasting mindlessly. Instead, you will destroy yourself and all that you love." With that, the blonde shinobi turned away, still breathing deeply to keep his anger at bay.

A slightly uncomfortable silence fell over the trio of Genin, but was broken a few minutes later by the arrival of Kakashi.

"Ohayou!" uttered the Jounin cheerfully, seemingly unaware of the tension between his students. Sakura screeched at him.

"You're _late_, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto cringed. _'I can't believe I used to act like that,'_ he said ruefully to Kyuubi. The demon chuckled. **"At least it wasn't really the true you,"**__he remarked. **"**_**Then**_** it would've become a problem."**__Naruto chuckled in his mind, and then tuned back into Kakashi's conversation. He was explaining something about the Chuunin exams to Sakura. Naruto scoffed. The Genin's mind soon drifted away, back to his new technique. He needed a name for it… and it had to be a good name. It was an_ elemental _Rasengan, the one not even his dad had done. Suddenly, it clicked. Elemental Rasengan! A grin broke onto his face as he found a name. Suiton: Eremento Rasengan would be the name of his new technique. Kyuubi broke into his self-congratulations.

"**Kakashi is talking to everyone now. Pay attention."**

The Namikaze returned his attention to his Jounin team leader. What was he saying?

"-the Chuunin Selection Exams are coming up," Kakashi said, his small orange book for once absent. "At the Chuunin exams, you Genin are tested to see if you have become strong and mature enough to move up in the shinobi ranks. Genin teams from all over the ninja world come to the village currently hosting the exams. You Genin are not rookies, but this will be your first time at the Chuunin exams, and now, whilst Konoha is hosting it, will be the best time for you to take it." The Jounin eye-smiled, and held out 3 folded papers.

"Here. These are your forms for the exam. They have already been filled out. Do not lose them. You will need them at the exam door. If you are unable to show these papers at the front door, you will be denied entry to the exams." The three Genin stepped forward and took a paper each. Naruto drew out a small scroll from one of his pants pockets, ignoring Kakashi's surprised look and Sasuke's and Sakura's of puzzlement and promptly sealed the paper inside, stowing the scroll inside his weapons pouch. There. Now he couldn't lose it. Kakashi still looked surprised, but said nothing. Returning to the matter at hand, he began to speak again.

"Now, the Chuunin Selection Exams are different every year, so I can't really tell how it's going to be, but one thing to do: _always be on your guard._ Ja ne!" Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves, and the trio of Genin looked at each other. Surprisingly, it was Sasuke who spoke first, despite his breakdown earlier.

"Hn. Dobe, Sakura. Try to get along for the exams. _You're _not going to make me fail, you hear that?" Sakura stared, open-mouthed, at her crush. But Naruto smiled. Maybe he and Sasuke could get along, after all. That is, as long as Sasuke decided to act as if his teammates were his equals, or at the very least, his actual _teammates _and not some other ninja simply along for the ride.

"I can handle that," replied Naruto. "You just keep her over there in line. We can't get along, she detests me, and that might spoil our chances, especially if teamwork is needed." Sasuke nodded, and the two shinobi looked at Sakura.

"You'd better shape up for the exam, Sakura," Naruto said seriously. "Sasuke aren't waiting on you, and the other Genin there will take advantage of your weaknesses and you'll fail as a result." Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly, an unknown shinobi appeared behind her and immobilized her with chakra ropes. Naruto and Sasuke stiffened in chagrin. The shinobi must've been hiding his chakra aura. But for them not to have noticed, it was folly. Sharing a look, they darted after the shinobi holding Sakura captive. But he was getting away. Abruptly, Naruto grabbed Sasuke by the arm and Shunshined in front of the enemy ninja. His mind worked furiously. He was the only one with Shunshin abilities, so that meant…

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Close to 20 Naruto doppelgangers formed out of thin air, surrounding the enemy ninja, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura. Sasuke smirked knowingly at Naruto. The ninja couldn't get away now. The two Genin closed in for the kill. Then Naruto had an idea. Quickly forming some hand seals, he said quietly, so Sasuke and the enemy wouldn't hear,

"Fuiton: Rensa no Inbijiburu!" Immediately, the ninja's arms and legs froze in place. The only thing moving was his head. Sasuke approached the man, his hands glowing with blue chakra.

_Chakra scalpels_, thought Naruto. And not just any chakra scalpels either, they were lightning-based because of Sasuke's chakra element. The ninja's eyes widened as Sasuke drew closer. The Uchiha opened his mouth, glaring at the shinobi.

"Release the henge, why don't you, _Asuma-sensei_?" The ninja's frightened expression disappeared as if wiped away, to be replaced by a rather sheepish look.

"You got me, guys," the ninja said, as the henge lifted to reveal Sarutobi Asuma. Naruto and Sasuke smirked, whilst Naruto dispelled the clones and released Asuma from the invisible wind chains. Sakura shakily got to her feet. The helpless feeling she had just experienced had opened her eyes and made her realize what it was to be a ninja. Filled with a new sense of determination, the pink-haired girl made her first serious vow as a real kunoichi. _I shall get stronger._

Asuma got to his feet and looked seriously at the team.

"Very good teamwork, Naruto and Sasuke. I am impressed. Not many Genin can claim to have proved a challenge to a Jounin who was actually trying." He turned to Sakura as the two boys looked at each other in triumph. "Sakura, this test was a part of the Chuunin exams." They all snapped to attention at that statement. "You need to get stronger. It was too easy for me to capture you." The pink-haired kunoichi nodded solemnly, and Askuma smiled at her, before turning back to the entire team.

"Alright, see you at the exams! Ja ne!"

Sasuke looked at Naruto, feeling triumphant. He had seen the other boy looking at his hands. Now the dobe knew Sasuke was now pushover. A feeling of accomplishment ran through the Uchiha, and he turned to Naruto.

"Good one, dobe. Try to do as well in the exams." Naruto smirked. _If only you knew, Sasuke. _"I could say the same, teme. Don't let the stick up your ass prevent you from being a good teammate." Sasuke smirked, and they walked away, leaving a dumbstruck Sakura behind.

The hallway was dark and silent, the only sound present the echo of careful footsteps. The flickering, tentative light of a candle threw grotesque shadows on the walls as the light was raised to illuminate the holder's face. Its soft glow glinted off of round glasses as Yakushi Kabuto walked steadily down the deserted stone corridor. Reaching the end of the hallway, the silver-haired teen paused for a few seconds, looking over his shoulder surreptitiously at the dark passage behind him. Then he turned the corner, walking briskly along the new hallway to the door at the end. Raising a slim, pale hand, the Genin knocked once. The light flickered, and glinted off of the hitai-ate he wore. A single musical note was engraved into the metal.

"Come!" an imperious voice sounded from within the room, and Kabuto opened the door quietly, smoothly shutting it behind him.

The room was well-lit in contrast to the shadowy hallways, as candles had been placed in every area to make the room as bright as possible. In the center of the room was a table, with numerous glass domes and brown bottles of all sizes. Each glass dome had some sort of liquid in it that bubbled slowly. Some were empty, with the exception of the liquid, but others held various objects. One housed a dead snake, its lithe body frozen in time in it last gyration, another, a frog, grey in death. At the very end of the table, slightly separate from the glass domes and bottles, a wizened, severed-at-the-wrist hand stood. On its stiff, extended second finger was a golden ring with a ruby center. In the middle, the kanji for 'clan' was engraved.

Kabuto's eyes passed over the table, drawn inexorably to the presence of the man lounging majestically in a large, throne-like chair. The man looked distinctly like a snake, with golden retinas and slit pupils, and a curiously flat, small nose. Long, smooth black hair cascaded over his shoulders, and his thin-lipped mouth had a distinctly cruel smirk on it. He opened his mouth as if to speak, a long, snake-like tongue slithering out to moisten colorless lips, but suddenly, the pale, slim body was wracked with coughs, specks of blood clotting the long-fingered hand brought to his mouth.

The silver-haired Sound Genin hastily laid the candle on the table and rushed to the side of his master.

"Orochimaru-sama!" he cried, grabbing a brown bottle from the ground beside the chair, and pouring out a dosage into the nearby cup.

"You must take your medicine." The snake-reminiscent man waved a hand imperiously, but took the liquid. He grimaced as the bitter-tasting medicine roughly caressed his palate, then, clearing his throat to test his voice, spoke.

"It is not that, Kabuto. The time for me to change bodies grows near. It has almost been three years, has it not, Kabuto?" His voice was silky, and menacing. The bespectacled teen nodded briefly.

"Indeed it has, Orochimaru-sama." His superior nodded also.

"Yesss…it has been a good three years. But I will wait, Konoha is finally having the Chuunin exams and now the Uchiha will be mine. Yesssss…" The long tongue slipped from inside his mouth to lick his lips as if thinking of some delectable treat.

"Kukukuku… Sasuke-kun, you will be mine."

Ino smiled to herself in satisfaction. She was currently walking along the road from Team 10's training grounds, between Shikamaru and Chouji. Asuma-sensei had given them their forms for the Chuunin Selection Exams. Their Jounin-sensei hadn't said much, but still encouraged them to do their best, reminding them simultaneously to remember that the Chuunin exams were both a display of strength _and _maturity, and that they would always be on their guard. _I wonder if Naruto-kun got his forms yet…_ the Yamanaka mused. A slight tinge of red crept over her cheeks, and Shikamaru smirked knowingly beside her.

"Shika –" Chouji began. He didn't get to complete the sentence. Without warning, a strange shinobi jumped out from behind a nearby tree, and grabbed Ino. Strong, dangerous arms grasped her roughly, carelessly, and Ino felt herself begin to freeze. Immediately, she halted all train of thought, and focused, focused on the one person who made her world complete. _Naruto…_ Without realizing it, Ino's body relaxed, and her mind began working, attempted to find ways to get her captor to release her.

"Ino! Hang on, we're coming!" yelled Chouji. Ino heard Shikamaru's trademark mutter.

"Troublesome…" Despite the circumstances, a smile found its way to her face. But it slipped away as her mind returned to her situation. She frowned. _Think, Ino, think. All those kunoichi lessons can't have been in vain!_ Then an idea struck. Twisting carefully in her captor's arms, Ino angled her body so that her captor would still think she was trapped but she could do damage if she liked. The kunoichi's blue eyes zoomed onto the patch of bare skin at the shinobi's wrist. Smirking, Ino opened her mouth, moved her head a few inches, and…_sunk_ her teeth viciously into the exposed skin. _I hope he's not one of those ninja with poison literally flowing in their veins,_ she thought worriedly, as she sent chakra to her jaws, biting down harder. She could feel the blood welling up around her teeth, its metallic taste filling her palate. The ninja yelled in agony, and attempted to shake her off, but Ino bit all the harder, clinging onto the running ninja for all she was worth. Their pace got slower, and slower, until Shikamaru was able to catch up enough so he could use his Kagemane jutsu. Then, when he was caught – Ino still hanging on just in case – Chouji raised his staff above the man's head, an uncharacteristically unpleasant smirk on his face. Ino scrambled off and stood on the other side, hacking and spitting blood from her mouth. The ninja moaned pitifully, nursing his injuted hand. It was a bad bite; blood was gushing out, and Ino's teeth, due to the chakra she had sent to her jaw, had sunk several centimeters. Suddenly, the ninja disappeared, replaced by a ruefully grinning Tenma. Even Shikamaru gaped. _Wha-?_ Then understanding dawned, that is, for Shikamaru. The others were still confused.

"Shiranui-san?" queried Ino, feeling embarrassment burgeoning in her chest. Did she _really _just bite a Jounin? Shiranui Genma grinned sheepishly.

"Gomen, but this was a part of your Chuunin exams. It's not _that_ easy to get into, you know," he said, seeing their nonplussed faces. "You will be tested every step of the way, at which ever opportunity presents itself. So be careful!" He turned to Shikamaru and Chouji.

"Good teamwork. It is not every time that something happens that you need to get involved. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to observe the situation and then create a solution or consider an action." Shikamaru nodded, and Chouji smiled in happiness. Then Genma turned to Ino. Still clutching his bloody, mangled hand, he gave the furiously blushing kunoichi a low bow.

"Thanks to you, Ino-chan, I will never ever again underestimate a kunoichi," he said seriously. "Let me tell you this. When I grabbed Ino, knowing her to be a true kunoichi, I was naturally wary, but the last thing I expected her to do was to _bite_ me." He turned to Ino again. "And focusing chakra to your jaw was pure genius. I am extremely impressed. You pass, Team 10. Ja ne!"

With that, the Jounin Shunshined away, cradling a still-furiously bleeding and obviously painful hand. Ino stared at the spot he had occupied only a few seconds ago, dazed. What just happened? Did she _really _just bite Genma? Then the silence got to her, and she turned around, only to see Chouji and Shikamaru staring, dumbstruck at her, the former's left hand frozen in his ever-present bag of barbeque chips, and the lazy Nara looking awake for once.

"Wh-What?" asked Ino nervously. Why were they staring like that? It was unnerving her.

"Remind me not to make you angry…." said Shikamaru, still staring warily at her. Chouji nodded his head furiously.

"What he-crunch-said." Ino blushed until her face was like a beacon.

"S-Stop it, you two. It really wasn't that bad." Shikamaru looked at her in disbelief.

"Not that _bad_? When you focused chakra to your _jaw_ and bit him had enough to sink your teeth 2-3 centimeters? That _is_ bad, Ino. It was funny, though." The members of Team 10 grinned at each other, and continued to walk home.

Genma Shunshined into the room designated as the conference room for the Jounins during the entire Chuunin Selection Exams, clutching his bleeding, mutilated hand, and grimacing in pain. All the other Jounin were already assembled. A chorus cry of concern went up when the bloody Jounin entered.

"Genma!" cried Kurenai, running up to him. "What happened?" He held up his other hand, signaling her to wait, and walked up to Iruka who had the verdicts of the various teams written on a clipboard.

"Team 10: pass." The listening Jounin cheered, and Asuma smiled proudly. Then something clicked.

"Hey Genma," he called to his fellow Jounin. "Did Team 10 do _that_ to you?" Hearing this, the entire room of ninja fell silent. Ruefully, Genma nodded at the Sarutobi whilst Kurenai healed his hand.

"Yeah. Actually, it was Ino." He shook his head in disbelief, as the room erupted in a cacophony of noise.

"Ino?" asked Kakashi in disbelief. "How did she do that?" Genma grimaced.

"She _bit_ me. Bit me whilst channeling chakra to her jaws." Everyone winced collectively in sympathy. Genma turned to Asuma.

"Your team's strong." Asuma chuckled, and then his face grew serious, and he looked at Kakashi.

"Kakashi, my team is strong, and so is Gai's and Kurenai's, but your team, Team 7, is positively deadly. That Uzumaki kid…." he trailed off, shaking his head ruefully. "He did something I have never ever seen. Anybody know about a jutsu with apparently invisible chains?" The Jounin gathered shook their heads and Asuma sighed.

"Genma, be thankful you didn't challenge Team 7. Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto are no walkover. I nearly got a lightning-based version of the chakra scalpel to the heart, and there would've been _nothing_ I could've done about it. Kakashi, they were actually emitting killing intent. Only exceptional Genin are capable of emitting killer intent." Asuma shook his head in disbelief and continued. "When the Genin had that tournament…. Naruto was holding back. Big time. Lee's skills in Taijutsu actually surpass Naruto's, but he wouldn't stand a chance with Naruto in a battle of Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. Heck, I doubt even us seasoned Jounin could take him down easily. Asuma turned to Kurenai. "Who tested your team? Somehow, I feel this year's Genin are exceptional."

Kakashi spoke up.

"I tested them. They passed. With flying colors." Kurenai smiled.

"What did you do, Kakashi?" The cyclopean Jounin eye-smiled.

"Exactly what everyone else did. Attempted to capture the kunoichi." Kurenai raised an eyebrow.

"Attempted?" Kakashi nodded slowly.

"Hai, _attempted_. In other words, I didn't succeed in capturing Hinata. That Aburame kid…he's deadly. Shino put a female kikai bug on Hinata, and as soon as I drew near, the bug transferred itself from Hinata to me. I didn't have a chance, not with Kiba and Akamaru doing the Gatsuga technique and Hinata ready to close my tenketsus. They could almost by an assassination team, except for the dog…. I don't know about animals on an assassination team." Kurenai nodded.

"I had the same thought. However, Team Gai is probably the assassination team. I tested them, and nearly got a senbon to the throat." She turned to Maito Gai, who was mature for once.

"Gai, that girl, Tenten, will probably be one of the deadliest kunoichi you'll ever meet. 100% accuracy at her age…" Kurenai shook her head.

"I decided to trap Lee in a Genjutsu, but 'Lee' turned out to be Hyuuga Neji, and so the technique failed. Then both he and the real Lee attacked, and whilst they occupied me, Tenten stood in the shadows and shot volleys of senbon, all perfectly aimed, at me. Thank Kami I know Shunshin and she didn't…. I really think that they should be the assassination team. What with the Byakugan's vision, Tenten's stealth and weapon mastery, and Lee's Taijutsu, they'll make an excellent team." The crowd of Jounin murmured again. Asuma spoke up.

"Hmm…. Looks like the Chuunin exams will be interesting."


	10. The Other Jinchuuriki

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Key: "Normal person speaking."

_Normal person thinking._

'_Naruto talking to Kyuubi.'_

"**Kyuubi talking to Naruto."**

**

* * *

**

The Other Jinchuuriki

Naruto strolled down a secondary street in the town, near to the gates. The blond had gotten up only a few hours ago and was now heading for Team 7's training grounds.

'_Hey Kyuubi', _he said to his demon inhabitant. _'How do you think these exams'll be? Do you think that I'll be considered eligible to become a Chuunin?'_ Kyuubi paused before answering.

"**Well kit, I can't exactly say how the exams are going to be, but I can tell you that you **_**will**_** have to fight. Because the Chuunin exams are a way for each village to show off their strength, they will all send their strongest Genin, if only as a way to show Konoha – which by the way is the strongest hidden village – that they are forces to consider. But you should do okay… You're not lacking in skill, Akuma Hiai **_**is**_** a B-class ninja after all."**

'_You're right,'_ realized Naruto. _'Oh well, I'll still train as hard as I can, considering, as you mentioned, that the other villages will be sending their strongest Genin. However, I can't go all out and be as strong as Akuma Hiai, or use obvious tactics and techniques that other nin present are sure to have seen 'him' do. A good shinobi never reveals his secrets until he has to, and I'm not ready to reveal my alter identity just yet.'_

Suddenly, Naruto became aware of an unfamiliar chakra signature following him. He quickly exited his mindscape and refocused on the road in front of him. Seeing no one, he paused, and then turned around, only to see a rectangular cardboard box with a badly-drawn rock pattern on its sides and two eyeholes, shuffling conspicuously behind him. A smile immediately made its way to Naruto's lips. There was only one person who could be in that box. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, a hand shot out of the left eyehole, dropping a small object that exploded into a bright blue smoke on contact with the ground. Loud shuffling noises could be heard within the cloud, and Naruto watched, highly amused, as the Konohamaru Corps, consisting of Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon, stumbled out of the smoke, eyes watering copiously and hacking furiously.

Konohamaru and Naruto had met in a very unconventional way a few weeks ago. Naruto had been in the Hokage's office updating his 'Oji-san' on his training and his relationship with Team 7, Kakashi and the villagers, when Konohamaru had burst in, over-long scarf flying behind him, and kunai in hand, yelling about defeating the Hokage. But, halfway to the desk, he tripped over his scarf, and accused Naruto of tripping him. Naruto, deciding that the brat should be taught a lesson, had made a clone appear behind the pre-Genin and lift him roughly up by his scarf and give him a good lecture. Ebisu, the closet pervert and Konohamaru's tutor, had given Naruto a dirty look, but his attitude soon changed when both Naruto _and_ the Hokage focused large amounts of killing intent at him. Naruto had not seen Konohamaru until a few days after, when the small boy proclaimed Naruto his hero and role model. They had been inseparable ever since, and Naruto had even been teaching Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon how to hide properly. Though, looking at the box, it hadn't sunk in too well.

"The great Konohamaru Corps has arrived!" yelled Konohamaru, between bouts of coughing. The pre-Genin looked up at Naruto to see if they had finally managed to catch him by surprise, but were thwarted once again. Udon's face fell.

"We'll never surprise the boss," he said dejectedly to Konohamaru. His 'leader', however, wasn't discouraged.

"No, Udon!" he said enthusiastically. "We will try and try until we can surprise the Boss!"

"Yeah!" yelled Moegi, pumping her small fist into the air. Naruto smiled.

"Exactly, Konohamaru. You're getting better, don't give up." He knelt in front of Udon. "Never give up so easily, Udon. You can't surprise me just like that. I doubt even my sensei could sneak up on me properly." Udon's eyes behind round glasses went wide, and he nodded, confidence returned. Naruto smiled and stood. He was about to dismiss them, when Sakura passed, sans Sasuke. Naruto smirked. The Uchiha had escaped his banshee jailer. She shot Naruto a dirty look, which he returned, accompanied by a bit of fear-inducing chakra flaring. Her pupils dilated, and she was just about to dart away when Konohamaru spoke up.

"Hey Boss!" he said loudly. "Why is that ugly old pink-haired hag glaring like that?" That was the last straw. Sakura's famous anger overcame her fear, and in a flash, she drew a kunai, ready to throw it at Konohamaru. But Naruto was faster, and Shunshined to her side in a heartbeat, grabbing the kunai away and focusing large amounts of killing intent at her. Konohamaru and his friends seized their chance and ran for it, while Naruto dealt with an angry, but now thoroughly cowed and intimidated Sakura.

"You _will_ leave Konohamaru and his friends alone," he stated coldly. "What they said was true. You _are_ an ugly, pink-haired hag, only I would add 'bitch' to the list. _And_ a big forehead to go with it." Naruto said, lowering his voice for effect. Smirking on the inside at his effective fear-inducing tactics, he stepped away from the frozen girl and continued down the road in the same direction he had been going a few minutes before. He was _going_ to train today, no matter how many distractions were thrown at him, dammit.

Naruto drifted off into his plans and jutsus again, feeling vaguely that Shikamaru was influencing him, and then he heard a yell of pain. The voice was familiar… Konohamaru! Naruto broke into a run, and rounded the corner quickly, to see two foreign ninja antagonizing the Konohamaru Corps. _They must be here for the Chuunin Selection Exams,_ realized Naruto. He narrowed his eyes at them. Those ninja were _way_ above Genin level, maybe even high Chuunin. The blonde looked them over, realizing that although they were strong, their detection skills were next to nothing, as they had yet to notice him.

The kunoichi drew his attention first. She was a blonde, like him, but her hair was more of a sandy blonde than a bright yellow color, as his was, and was worn in four spiky ponytails. Her outfit was quite provocative. She wore a purple midriff-baring top, the zipper adjusted strategically to reveal a hint of her ample cleavage, a purple miniskirt with double slits, and fishnets and fingerless gloves. A large, folded fan was on her back, and the metal plate on the hitai-ate tied around her neck proclaimed her a Suna ninja. Naruto's eyes moved to the shinobi beside her. He wore an extremely strange outfit. It consisted of a black jumpsuit, made of some sort of heavy material, no doubt to protect him from the sand, and covered every part of his body save his face, which was odd in itself. The Genin's face was framed by a hood with cat ears, and his features were outlined and highlighted by purple Kabuki paint. He also had a strange mummy-wrapped bundle on his back. The shinobi had a struggling Konohamaru by the ear, and the pre-Genin was crying out in fear and pain. A malicious smile adorned the Suna ninja's face and Naruto decided that enough was enough.

Stepping forward, he purposefully flared his chakra, and the Suna nin grew alert. Obviously they were a team, but where was the third member? It was then that he felt _it_, the unfocused youkai of a Jinchuuriki. It was emanating from a high tree to his left. His own youkai was suppressed, unlike the other Jinchuuriki's. Ignoring him for the moment, Naruto approached the cat-eared Suna shinobi.

"It's a pleasure to meet Suna ninja, especially strong ones like you obviously are, but do you really think that it's a good idea to antagonize the Hokage's grandson?" The effect of his words was amusing. The cat-eared shinobi's purple-lined eyes widened comically, and he dropped Konohamaru like a hot brick. The kunoichi at his side immediately began to quarrel, a worried look on her face.

"Kankuro! I told you not to! Now we're gonna get in trouble for your 'little bit of fun!'" The cat-eared shinobi, Kankuro, shrugged nonchalantly.

"Chill, Temari. It's not like they can do anything, this weak idiot can't do anything either." Kankuro turned his back on Naruto and Temari, and began to walk away. Naruto frowned to himself. _Not so fast, makeup-boy,_ he thought. Moving quickly, the young blonde Shunshined behind Kankuro, placing one hand on the Suna nin's shoulder. The ninja turned aggressively.

"What?" he said rudely. Putting on a pleasant smile, Naruto began channeling chakra to his hand. Kankuro would never know what hit him.

"Now, now, that's not _polite_," he said, feeling the chakra beginning to cover his hand. Kankuro sneered.

"So, whatcha gonna do about it….AAAAAGH!"

The Suna ninja collapsed heavily on the ground, his shoulder bleeding profusely. Temari looked scared. She looked frantically from Kankuro to the strange shinobi. There were the strongest team Suna had, and Kankuro had been reduced to a bloody mess on the ground in a matter of seconds by a technique she had never seen, _something._

"What did you do?" she screamed at the blonde, preparing for attack. But Naruto only smiled.

"Politeness is essential when in a stranger's territory," he said enigmatically. Then the Namikaze felt another chakra signature, and smirked to himself. Turning away from the writhing Kankuro and scared Temari, he said loudly,

"You two can come out now. And you over there in the tree, please refrain from spilling killing intent like water, it's disturbing." Temari gaped. She hadn't even realized that someone other than themselves was present.

In answer to Naruto's little declaration, there was no audible reply. Then two shinobi appeared in front of the blonde. One was Uchiha Sasuke, his handsome features expressing a look of disdain. _Hunh, looks like he recovered his ego,_ thought Naruto. _And here I thought he was going to be at least tolerable._ Naruto smirked.

"Well, what do you know, the Uchiha learned how to Shunshin." Sasuke sneered, and was about to retort when a voice, strangely husky, interrupted.

"Your name, blond." Naruto turned around. It was the other boy, the other _Jinchuuriki_. The one who was unable to control his youkai. _'Kyuubi, who's his demon?'_ he asked the nine-tailed fox. Kyuubi tested the youkai, and then answered his host.

"**His demon is Ichibi no Shukaku, the one-tails. But something is wrong with his seal…."** Naruto thanked the demon, and emerged from his mindscape. No one had moved; they were all waiting on his reply.

Naruto scrutinized the Suna Jinchuuriki. His skin was an alabaster pale, as if he didn't go out into the sun. This was strange, as Suna was _always_ sunny. _Probably doesn't go outside because of the villagers,_ mused Naruto. He knew the feeling all too well. The Jinchuuriki's hair was a fiery red, and his eyes were a startling hue of turquoise, ringed with dark circles from apparent lack of sleep. He wore a slightly loose, black full-bodysuit that had sleeves of mesh, with a white strip of cloth, about 3-31/2 feet long, wrapped around his body diagonally, spanning his right shoulder and crossing his torso to encompass his left hip. Under the white material, but over his bodysuit, was a leather strap, wrapped diagonally, but in the opposite direction to the white cloth, across his black-clad torso. The brown leather strap had several smaller straps fastened perpendicularly at various points; three at his hip, and one other at his right shoulder, almost parallel to the white cloth. There was also a large gourd at his back, slung diagonally for easier transport, as it was almost as big as his entire body. Apparently, it was attached to his body via the strap, as far as Naruto could see. The gourd had several seals on its surface, alerting Naruto to the fact that it contained far more substance than its outer appearance belied, and several large fractures marred its tan surface. Last but not least, the Jinchuuriki bore a small, blood-red kanji tattoo on the upper left side of his forehead, translating to Ai, or love.

Finally, finishing his scrutiny, Naruto decided to answer, as the youkai spilling from the shinobi in front of him was rising.

"Uzumaki Naruto. Yours?" The Suna ninja did not reply immediately; he seemed to be processing the name, and listening to something. Naruto realized that Shukaku was probably speaking to his host, and waited. But what the other Jinchuuriki said next was strange.

"Uzumaki Naruto. Mother wants your blood." With that cryptic and disturbing statement, the Suna ninja began to turn away, but Naruto Shunshined in front of him.

"Name?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Gaara's going to kill him," he heard Temari whisper to Kankuro as she bandaged his arm. Naruto raised an eyebrow. His name was Gaara; and what kind of shinobi was he that his own teammates were petrified by him?

"Subaku no Gaara." the Ichibi host stated emotionlessly, his turquoise eyes boring into naruto's cerulean ones. "We will meet at the Chuunin exams." He stepped around Naruto, and without turning, said,

"Kankuro, Temari. Come." Obviously scared of Gaara, the other two ninja scrambled to catch up, yelling at each other on their way.

Naruto looked contemplatively after them. He wanted to fight Gaara, even though he was an obvious psychopath. The Namikaze's eyes lit on the other Jinchuuriki's gourd as he walked away, and an idea suddenly struck him. _Got it!_ he yelled mentally. He could use a gourd to hold water for his Suiton jutsus! But…how to carry it? he didn't want one _that_ big, either. Hmm… Naruto began walking again, a thoughtful look in his eyes. He had to figure this out before the Chuunin exams, or else a whole chunk of his arsenal of jutsus would be gone.

However, his thoughts were rudely interrupted by the voice of one Uchiha Sasuke. The other Genin had Shunshined in front of Naruto, and was now blocking his way.

"What did you do to him?" he asked; his features were unreadable. Naruto decided to play dumb.

"Who?" he asked. Sasuke scowled.

"_Him._ The makeup-boy. You know who I mean, dobe." Naruto's eyes narrowed. Sasuke thought he could know and get whatever he wanted to even after that lesson he taught him last practice….well, not if Naruto had anything to say or do about it.

"It's none of your business, Uchiha. Just accept that there are many things you don't know, and probably will never know. Forgetting last practice already?" the Uchiha's eyes dilated as he remembered and Naruto smirked. Without allowing Sasuke to do or say anything more, he Shunshined away, fed up with the constant interruptions, to his training spot by the lake for a place to think.

Once there, Naruto walked out onto the water, and sat down, legs crossed, in the classic lotus position. This would be a good time to practice chakra control whilst semi-meditating. The blonde Genin's thoughts returned to the matter of the gourd. _Putting water in a gourd is a fantastic idea,_ Naruto mused. _But I don't want one as huge as Gaara's…it'll be too heavy, too bulky, and overall, simply hamper me in battle in the long run, instead of aiding me like it should. I need to be able to store a lot of water in a small gourd…._ Then he slapped his fore head sharply. _Baka!_ He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before, seeing what he had before. Storage seals. Even Gaara's gourd had them. He shook his head. _Pathetic, Namikaze. And this revelation comes even after you had commented to yourself how the gourd obviously held more than it appeared to, based on the presence of the seals on the gourd._ He shook himself out of his self-castigation. Hmm… He could place one on the small gourd, enabling it to hold up to 15 times its normal capacity, and as for the matter of carrying it, he didn't have to. He could seal it away in a scroll, just like his Buki Zengosayuu technique, and practice summoning it.

The Genin rose to his feet and walked to the lakeshore, Shunshining away as soon as his feet touched dry land. Naruto reappeared on the outskirts of the town. The blonde began walking, searching for a potter's shop for all its size, Konoha should have almost everything a ninja could think of. And he was right. The young shinobi eventually found a tiny 2-room shop, tucked away in a rather deserted alley in a decidedly seedy section of town. It was run by a wizened, white-bearded old man whose knobbly hands and wise eyes looked as if they had seen the entire world and its troubles. But he was cheerful; and apparently was one of the few civilians who had no grudge against Naruto.

Naruto found the perfect gourd of after only 20 minutes of searching through the 50 or so gourds in the shop. The gourd was medium-sized; when Naruto stood it upright on the ground, it reached mid-thigh, and could hold approximately 10 gallons of water. But Naruto wanted it to hold more, and so, after paying the old man, he made his way home via Shunshin. Since his return, he had been simply Shunshining to and from the Namikaze house, making sure no one knew where he lived. He wasn't ready for questions about his heritage yet; the time would come for that.

When he reached home, he went straight to the training room, and began to create a storage seal large enough to enable the gourd to hold about 500 gallons of water, with the aid of his father's extensive library of sealing books. Despite his talent with Fuinjutsu, however, the process of creating the seal took longer than expected, and it was nightfall before he had completed. Sighing, Naruto closed the book, replaced it in the library, and went to bed. He could always finish the seal tomorrow.

* * *

The next morning saw Naruto again in the training room, reed brush in hand, and book open on his left, drawing the seal. The seal was huge; it started on the gourd, which was situated in the center of the large room, and spread out over the sides of the piece of pottery and onto the floor. Naruto dipped his brush into the inkpot one last time and, consulting the book just to be sure, drew the last few lines on the seal, completing it. The Genin sat back on his knees viewing the black markings around him with satisfaction,. The storage seal was complete. Naruto walked to the center of the markings, where the gourd lay; and channeled chakra to his hand, laying it on the seal's center. The chakra immediately coursed through the entire seal, and the black markings began to shrink, closing in on themselves, until all that was left of the seal was three black squiggly lines outlined by a black circle on the center of the gourd.

Naruto went to the cupboard in the room and took out a scroll. He deftly sealed the empty gourd into the scroll, and tucked the sealed gourd into a special case attacked to his belt where he kept jutsu and sealing scrolls. Then the blonde Genin ate a quick breakfast of rice and Shunshined eagerly to his customary spot by the Konoha Lake.

When he arrived, the first thing he did was cast the Genjutsu Sarutobi had taught him in Kumogakure. He didn't think anyone was spying on him, but it never hurt to be sure, especially after Sasuke's stunt, and considering the other foreign ninja bound to be in the village due to the Chuunin Exams. Then he walked out onto the surface of the beautiful blue lake. He had already decided how he was going to get the water inside the gourd. Putting his hands together in a few seals, he cried,

"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!"

The water in front of Naruto began to swirl, growing in speed and strength until it began to rise, and a waterfall erupted from the previously calm waters of the lake. Using a steady stream of chakra, Naruto made the waterfall smaller and weaker until it was no more than a fairly strong spring, and then he channeled the chakra-infused water into the gourd until it was filled. Then he let the water drop back to its original calm position in the lake and corked the gourd, forcing the bit of cork inside the clay mouth until he was sure no water would leak out. Then he began to practice.

He slung the gourd by its strap onto his shoulder; and reached back and uncorked it. Then he began making hand seals, focusing on the chakra already in the gourd.

"Suiton: Suigadan!" A mass of highly-concentrated water, no bigger than a small rock, shot out of the gourd, followed by a barrage of the same, crashing into a tree on shore. The jutsu could produce about 30 of the water bullets, without depleting the water in the gourd too drastically. Naruto practiced a bit more with the gourd, and then he noticed something. The water used for the jutsu didn't go back into the gourd. That meant he had to find a way to have more water, just in case. Maybe he should buy another gourd…then he's have 1000 gallons of water. That sounded like a good idea; he would buy another gourd. Naruto re-filled the gourd on his back, running chakra through the water again, and then sealed it away. Within 10 minutes, he had left the clearing and was heading into town.

As he walked through Konoha, he could feel the excitement in the air from the Konoha villagers and ninja and foreign ninja alike. There was an increase in the number of foreign shinobi also, especially the Genin. He had lost count of how many there were. He had seen shinobi and kunoichi from Kumo, Suna, Iwa, Grass, Oto, and Mizugakure. It was obvious to Naruto that these Chuunin Selection Exams would be quite competitive.

As Naruto entered the town, he was greeted by several persons, all exuding the same sense of excitement and anticipation. Passing a large tree, the Namikaze blond saw two familiar figures, sitting opposite a large Shougi board. His interest piqued, Naruto made his way over the soft, chartreuse grass to the two shougi players.

"Hey, Shikamaru!" he said cheerfully, as he drew closer. His eyes registered the somewhat familiar features of the Jounin opposite Shikamaru, and he smiled politely. "Hello, Asuma-san." The bearded Jounin returned the smile, cigarette clamped firmly in place between his teeth.

"Hello, Naruto." Silence surrounded the three shinobi, unbroken except for the slight shuffling of the pieces on the Shougi board. In less than five minutes, the game was over, with Shikamaru as the victor.

"Che… Troublesome," the Nara genius complained. "You're out of practice, Asuma-sensei." Said sensei grinned ruefully.

"Not really, Shikamaru. You've gotten better." Shikamaru's typically lazy expression abruptly disappeared, only to be replaced by a slight smirk as he looked at Naruto. The blonde looked back quizzically, a sinking feeling beginning to make itself known in his chest. Shikamaru wouldn't tell Asuma…would he….? He would.

"Hey, Asuma-sensei, want to play with Naruto? He's quite good." Shikamaru purposely omitted the little fact that Naruto was better than him. The Jounin looked surprised, then shrugged, figuring that it could be worse than Shikamaru, because, not to be prejudiced, but Shikamaru was a genius and Naruto was not. Or so he thought.

"How long have you been playing, Naruto?" asked the Jounin. Naruto thought.

"Hmm... About a year? Yeah, about that." he replied, beginning to move his pieces. Asuma wouldn't know what hit him. The older shinobi grinned, and moved, countering Naruto's attack.

Within 15 minutes, the game's outcome was clear. Almost all of Asuma's pawns had been confiscated, his knights were cornered, and his king was in mortal danger.

"Check." said Naruto, moving a pawn to the left and taking Asuma's king. Asuma grinned.

"You're worse than Shikamaru!" he said despairingly. Shikamaru and Naruto wore identical smirks.

"Troublesome…" muttered Shikamaru. "Naruto beat me the first time we played. We've been playing for a while now, almost from the time he returned."

Asuma's mind spun. Shikamaru Nara was a genius, especially at strategizing games such as Shougi, and if Naruto could beat him as easily as Shikamaru insinuated, then that meant….that Naruto was a genius. So why did he pretend to be an idiot? An idiot couldn't suddenly turn into a genius, nor vice versa. Asuma made a mental note to watch the Uzumaki kid for further answers. Naruto was a mystery.

The blonde pre-teen got up slowly, a slight smile on his face.

"Arigatou for the game, Shikamaru, Asuma-san, but I have to go, gotta get some training items…" The lazy Nara raised a single hand in farewell, and his sensei grunted as Naruto walked away, both already engrossed in another game. After about 10 mintues, Naruto soon became fed up with walking, and Shunshined quickly to the old man's pottery shop. Quickly purchasing a gourd, he Shunshined to his training room at his home, copied the storage seal on the other gourd on the present one, and then Shunshined again to the Konoha Lake, where he filled it with chakra-infused water, and sealed it away in a Storage seal. _Hmm..I've got an hour left… maybe I should stop by Team 7's training grounds.._ mused Naruto as he left the lake. The blonde changed directions, walking a bit faster, and soon reached the training grounds used by his teammates. Everything was exactly the same. Kakashi was in a tree reading his small orange book, Sasuke was burning logs to pieces with his Gokakyuu no Jutsu, and Sakura was fangirling the stoic Uchiha.

When Naruto appeared, Sakura immediately screeched at him.

"Naruto! Don't come here, you'll disturb Sasuke-kun!" Naruto looked coolly at her.

"Shut up, Sakura. I can't disturb someone who wasn't doing anything in the first place." The pink-haired kunoichi screeched in indignant frustration.

"Sasuke-kun! Say something to shut him up!" 'Sasuke-kun' ignored her, onyx eyes locked in a silent war with Naruto's cerulean orbs.

"Wanna spar, dobe?" he smirked. Naruto smirked in return.

"Ya think?" It had been a long time since he had had a spar. The two shinobi drew a kunai each, and then Kakashi abruptly Shunshined between them.

"Maa, maa, no need for that now, boys." Their sensei's voice was unusually serious. "It doesn't make sense for you to exhaust yourself the day before the Chuunin exams. Go home and practice if you have to, and then go to bed early. Tomorrow's the big day." Reluctantly, the two Genin sheathed their kunai, and stepped away from the battlefield. Naruto's thoughts were shocked.

'_Tomorrow's the Chuunin exams?'_ he asked Kyuubi.

"**Yeah, didn't you realize it?"** asked the demon.

'_No….'_ Naruto replied, still in shock. It wasn't that he wasn't ready, but…._where had the time gone?_ The blonde turned on his heel, nodding goodbye to his teammates and sensei, and disappeared in a strong gust of wind. He had to get home, and get a good sleep, and polish and sharpen all of his weapons. It was time for the Chuunin Selection Exams.

* * *

Review! I know it's a really short chapter... just bear with me, please?

szayelchick

ps: Anybody here like screamo?


	11. Chuunin Selection Exams: The Beginning

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Key: "Normal person speaking."

_Normal person thinking._

'_Naruto talking to Kyuubi.'_

"**Kyuubi talking to Naruto."**

**

* * *

**

Chuunin Selection Exams: The Beginning

It was a typical Konohagakure morning: sunny, with just a hint of cool breeze ruffling the trees' leaves, with the peaceful sounds of birds calling to each other. Then an alarm clock in the Namikaze house rang, followed nanoseconds later by other alarms in separate houses where each of the Konoha 12 resided. It was time; today was the beginning of the fateful Chuunin Selection Exams. Namikaze Naruto rolled over in his uber-comfortable bed and groggily silenced his clock's clamor with a sleep-heavy hand. His mind, not yet completely awake and functioning, struggled to place the time, day, and occasion. Then his eyes widened as it hit him. The Chuunin exams! Instantly awake, Naruto hastily got out of bed to commence his morning ablutions. He had an hour and a half to bathe, dress, eat breakfast and re-check his necessary items, just in case.

About 20 minutes later, Naruto stood in his bedroom, wondering what to wear. His attire for today was quite important for two reasons: he was being given a chance to move further up in the ranks of the shinobi world, hence increasing his chances of becoming Hokage, and his true heritage would be revealed. Therefore, he needed to look the part. He wasn't vain, but looking like a scruffy civilian at the Chuunin exams would definitely jeopardize his chances at becoming a Chuunin. Also, a Namikaze couldn't afford to look wimpy; it would disgrace the clan, _and_ his dad and the Yondaime's memory. And of course, make him look like nothing more than a braggart – all talk and no action. So….he had to wear something impressive. Naruto scanned the closet again, and finally chose an outfit.

A few minutes later, he was fully dressed. The blonde grunted in approval as he surveyed his reflection in the bedroom mirror. He was wearing standard black pants, his regular boots, a mesh shirt, a long-sleeved black jacket similar to that of the ANBU, with some black bandages around his waist, and black fingerless gloves that had a metal strip on the tops and metal knuckles. He was also wearing the black collar Iruka had given him for his birthday, and two new, small silver hoops in his right ear. His hitai-ate was in its customary place on his forehead. He looked quite impressive. Naruto checked the time. He had 45 minutes left to get his stuff and get to the exam center. The Namikaze blonde dashed to the spacious dojo and quickly, but systematically checked his ninja pouch to make sure nothing was missing. When he had satisfied himself as to the state of his supplies, he walked out the house, locking the door behind him. 35 minutes left.

Naruto strolled through the town, making his way steadily towards the building where the first phase of the Chuunin Selection Exams would be held. On his way, he passed a few kunoichi from Kumogakure, who gaped and giggled at him, light blushes on their faces. Naruto groaned mentally at the thought of fangirls, but smirked as he realized most of them were Sasuke's anyway. Naruto's eyes homed in on a large, multi-storied building near the end of the street he was currently on, and he grinned in anticipation. _Chuunin exams, make way for Namikaze Naruto!_ he thought triumphantly. Kyuubi sighed in slight exasperation and amusement.

"**Yade, yade, just get there already, brat."**

_Shut up,_ shot back Naruto, his footsteps growing quicker with excitement.

As he drew close to the building, he saw both Sasuke and Sakura standing at the door, waiting for him. That was a smart decision; it would be no hassle once they got inside if they were already together. Naruto was about to ignore Sakura, when he remembered the rule he had set himself on his return. 'Once on a mission, put all differences aside, no matter how hard it is to do so.' And this could be considered a mission. So he swallowed his pride and a whole lot of bile, and calmly greeted his teammates.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Sasuke, Sakura." The Namikaze had a pleasant surprise when both Sasuke and Sakura civilly replied to his greeting. Hmmm. It seemed that Sasuke had listened to when he had said about changing Sakura's attitude, if only for the exams, and maybe decided to not be such a teme himself. Oh, well. It was better than nothing. Sasuke's voice broke into his musings, and he realized that he had just been standing still, staring off into space.

"Shall we get going, then?" the Uchiha asked.

"Aa." replied Naruto, falling into step beside his comrades. The trio walked through the door and into a high-ceilinged area, where a youthful Chuunin awaited them, his features made memorable by a white bandage spanning his cheekbones and bridging his nose.

"Ohayou gozaimasu," he said, smiling pleasantly. Team Kakashi, or most of Team Kakashi, returned the smile and courteous greeting, and handed in their forms.

"Ah, you are Team Kakashi," commented the unknown Chuunin. His eyes lingered on each member of the team, one eyebrow rising quizzically as he perused Naruto. Said Genin wondered what was crossing the older male's mind. A few seconds passed, and then the older shinobi suddenly moved aside, and gestured to the red door behind him.

"There you go, do your best!" he said encouragingly. "Make Konohagakure proud!" The Genin smiled and walked past the Chuunin to enter the door, their hearts pounding in nervous anticipation. What would happen next?

* * *

"Ohayou!" greeted Kakashi, as he appeared suddenly in the Jounin room, which was already ¾ filled with the elite ninja. "Mou, I hope I'm not too late!" Kurenai grimaced, her left eye twitching. That Kakashi….he knew he was about an hour late! Grrrr….

"You know you're late, you say that every time!" she said, smiling dangerously. Kakashi's 'eye-smile' faltered, and his stance became wary. He had been on the receiving end of Yuuhi Kurenai's wrath one time too many. The moral of the lesson was: kunoichi are scary when they get angry. Suddenly, Kakashi noticed a presence behind him. It seemed Kurenai noticed as well, because she relaxed, and a small, soft smile made its way to her beautiful face.

"Ohayou, Asuma-san," she greeted the shinobi. Kakashi and Genma smirked. It was well-known gossip among the Jounin that Yuuhi Kurenai and Sarutobi Asuma had 'the hots' for each other. However, they denied it, of course.

"Ohayou, Kurenai-san," replied Asuma, smiling pleasantly. Then the bearded Jounin turned to a still-smirking Kakashi, giving him the evil eye before continuing.

"Kakashi, did you know that Naruto is a genius, that he plays Shougi, and that he is better than Shikamaru at Shougi _and_ beat said Nara on his first game?" Kakashi's visible eye widened in utter shock. He had suspected that Naruto was both stronger and smarter than he let on, but as the blonde refused to train or even interact with the other members of Team Kakashi, he had not had the chance to gather more information to corroborate his suspicions.

"I had had my suspicions about Naruto being smarter than he let on, but a genius and begin smarter than Shikamaru? And playing Shougi" _Of course, he __**is**__ Minato-sensei's son,_ thought Kakashi ruefully. _He __**would**__ be a genius; Minato-sensei was one himself. _Asuma shook his head.

"Yeah… I couldn't quite believe it myself, but the evidence was right in front of me." Reading Kakashi's quizzical look, he continued.

"He beat me, Kakashi. He beat me at Shougi _in 15 minutes._ The fastest Shikamaru has ever beat me, in years of practice, is 20 minutes. I wonder what he'll do these Chuunin exams…" The Jounin trailed off, shaking his head in amazement.

At this point, Gai, who had been standing a few feet off to the side of the three-part conversation, interrupted.

"YOSH! NARUTO-KUN'S FLAMES OF YOUTHFULNESS BURN BRIGHTLY! BUT MY YOUTHFUL TEAM'S FLAMES OF YOUTHFULNESS HAVE BEEN BURNING ESPECIALLY BRIGHTLY THESE PAST FEW MONTHS! MY YOUTHFUL TEAM WILL NOT BE CONSUMED BY NARUTO-KUN'S YOUTHFUL FLAMES!" At the end of this litany, the odd green-clad shinobi stuck a 'good guy' pose, complete with a grin, his immaculately white teeth shining enough to 'PING!' and blind the Jounin in the room. Kakashi and Asuma simply looked at each other, puzzled as always by their eccentric comrade, and decided not to say anything. Kurenai helpfully changed the subject.

"Um…does anyone know what's going to happen in this place?" Recovering, Asuma and Kakashi turned to her, their faces blank.

"Nope, don't know." replied Asuma for them both.

"Ibiki." came a voice near to the duo. They turned to see Kotetsu, a Chuunin, coming in from the main room where all the Genin entered.

"What about Ibiki?" asked Kurenai. Kotetsu grinned.

"Ibiki's their examiner." The three Jounin senseis groaned. Ibiki Morino was the head of the Interrogation and Torture department, and his name was feared throughout Konoha and quite a few of the other major villages. Ibiki could make an SS-classed criminal spill things he didn't know he knew within an hour, if he really tried, and he was interrogating Genin? Only one thought ran through the senseis' heads:

"My poor students!" Kotetsu chuckled at their expressions.

"Yeah. Anyhow, snap out of it, if you want to watch the feedback: we've got the video camera in the examination room. Surveillance purposes, you know." As they crossed the room, Kotetsu turned Kakashi, a puzzled look on his bandaged face.

"Kakashi," he began. "Are you sure that your blonde student is a Genin? He seems familiar, somehow..." The Chuunin trailed off uncertainly. "I mean, there was just _something_ about him that reminds me of someone." Kakashi nodded in understanding. He had had that feeling, before he knew Naruto was a Namikaze. Heck, he still had it sometimes.

"Don't worry," he assured the Chuunin. "You're not the only one. It'll be explained soon enough." Kotetsu nodded and traipsed behind the Jounin senseis as they drew nearer to the camera, slight nervousness running through them. Their students were growing up.

Asuma turned to Kakashi. They had time to talk, as the feed from the camera showed a still-empty classroom.

"Kakashi, how d'you think your team's gonna do?" he asked quietly. Kakashi thought briefly, evaluating each of his students.

"I'm not worried about Naruto. Somehow I sense that he is probably high Chuunin, or maybe even mid-Jounin in strength, so he'll ace this exam. Sakura, she'll probably have trouble somewhere in the exam, as she only just began life as a serious kunoichi a few months ago. Sasuke, he won't find the exam as easy as Naruto, but if he drops his superiority complex, he'll also find it a lot easier. Together, as a team, they should do well. Apart, Sakura will be in trouble." Asuma sighed.

"I'm having the same problem. Only a few months ago, Shikamaru was one o the laziest persons I've ever met. But Naruto changed that: having someone beat him at Shougi opened his eyes, and he began to work harder. But, because of this, he has not much stamina, and I'm afraid he won't last the exam. Chouji, now, is stronger, but too concerned with his stomach. Only Ino should find it remotely easy." Sarutobi Hiruzen's grandson turned to Kurenai. "What about you, Kurenai-san?" The kunoichi's cheeks became dusted with a hint of red, and Kakashi sniggered. Shooting the perverted Jounin a reproving glare, she answered Asuma.

"Well, the one I'm worried about the most, like Kakashi, is my kunoichi. For a Hyuuga, Hinata has next to no skills. Yes, she has gained confidence and courage recently, approximately a year and a half after Naruto left, but to truly be ready for anything the Chuunin exams could give her, she needed to have had that mindset from the start, in addition to support from Hiashi. Shino, is the brains and stealth of the group; I'm not worried about him. Have you ever seen a weak Aburame? Kiba, as well, is quite strong, but needs some of Shino's more observant, less rash qualities. There are many times that Kiba's rashness almost cost him something important. I'm just hoping that these exams will open their eyes."

"Me too," chorused Kakashi and Asuma. Sharing a look, the trio smiled, and turned back to the camera. Talking about something always helped to alleviate nervousness or anxiety.

* * *

The morning sun shone down on an Oto Jounin as he strode purposefully through Konoha, nodding politely to various persons. The man's features were nondescript, yet held an elusive trace of cruelty, a hint of maliciousness underneath the surface of that courteous, unassuming exterior. The Oto shinobi made his way to the edge of the town, eyes fixed on a park not far from his present position. His steps quickened subconsciously and he soon found himself in the park, standing in front of a stone monument. _The_ stone monument, the glorified piece of rock that had the names of Konoha's honored dead carved into it.

"Kukukuku…. Sarutobi-sensei, your name'll soon be here…" the Jounin mused. A purely diabolical smirk adorned his pale lips, and for a moment, his eyes shone a snake-like yellow. The Sannin in disguise ran his forefinger over the countless names engraved into the revered memorial stone, cackling quietly.

"Kukuku…These Chuunin exams will be like never before. Truly a sight to behold. Sasuke-kun will be mine, and Konoha will be crushed after I possess his body and eyes. Itachi-kun will regret not surrendering to me when he had the chance. I would've given him a few years to live and improved his skills…..kukuku…" Suddenly, his thin, pale lips parted, and an abnormally long, lithe tongue shot out, waving around in the air a few inches from his nose in an eerily reptilian motion.

"I can taste you in the air, Kabuto-kun," the disguised Orochimaru hissed. "Come out, wherever you are…"

A few leaves rustled, and then all was silent. Not even the birds chirped. Orochimaru frowned. If Kabuto thought that he was showing his master something by not appearing when he called… His internal monologue was broken by a voice.

"Hmm… Orochimaru-sama, here I am…" Orochimaru did not turn. Instead, his tongue slithered out of his mouth again, testing the air to see if it was really Yakushi Kabuto, his bespectacled assistant. When he was satisfied, he turned and leered at Kabuto.

"Ssss…. Kabuto-kun, what have I told you about calling me by my name whilst I am in disguise? But let us not dwell on that…. Have you found them?" The silver-haired Oto ninja nodded.

"Hai. The Grass team is suitable. However, I have found nothing else. You already know the Uchiha's location. I have to return to the exams, I left a clone. I will need to return before its chakra runs out, or it gets into a skirmish. By your leave, O-?" he cut himself off abruptly, realizing he had been about to utter the most hated and feared name in Konohagakure after the Kyuubi no Kitsune. The tongue shot out again, and Kabuto fought back a shudder.

"Yess… Kabuto-kun, make sure to drop out in the second phase, I will need you by then, to prepare for Sasuke-kun. You may go." The medic ninja bowed and Shunshined away, presumably replacing himself with the clone he had planted in the examination room. A sadistic smile crept onto Orochimaru's face.

"Kukuku….Sasuke-kun, you _will_ be mine."

* * *

"Ne Sasuke-kun, what are we going to do now?" asked Haruno Sakura. Naruto's left eye twitched. Sakura had been acting especially sycophantic since they encountered the first Genin group on their way to the examination room.

After going through the red door, Team Kakashi had found themselves in a large, high-ceilinged room, which was empty save for themselves. Naruto had suggested that they use the room as a respite before the exams; they could check their kunai pouches and scrolls and backpacks to see if everything was there and functioning, just in case. Sasuke agreed, and they spent 5 minutes there. Then they exited the room, and climbed long flights of stairs. During their ascent, Naruto had suddenly begun to feel disorientated, as if his sense of direction had been shifted somehow. Realizing it was a Genjutsu, he informed his teammates, and they neutralized it. It had been smooth sailing from then on, and now they had arrived in a hallway, on the second floor. But something had happened. Various groups of Genin were milling about aimlessly, looking worried. Apparently, there was something hindering their progress.

Naruto looked at Sasuke, and together they began to push through the crowd of Genin. The obviously strong teammates drew wary glances and stares, and Sasuke basked in the attention. Naruto simply rolled his eyes, ignoring Sakura's squeals of 'Sasuke-kun' and moved a few feet away in order to see what was happening. But what he saw was not what he was expecting.

Directly ahead of him, almost at the end of the hallway, was the door to the examination room. The numbers '305' were printed clearly above the double doors. Yet, the Genin could not enter. There were two Genin standing close to each other, by either door, preventing them from entering. In front of the Genin stood a brown-haired girl who seemed somewhat familiar. Her hair was done up in two buns….Tenten! Naruto frowned. What was Tenten doing? She was smarter than that… He decided to listen in.

"Just let us in, please," she was saying. "We just want to take the exams. Besides, it's not like you can stay there forever. The exam proctors will remove you soon." The Genin only sneered at her. Naruto's brow cleared as he spotted Lee standing behind her, looking ready to attack. Tenten was safe. But what about Neji? The Namikaze looked around, and smirked as he saw Neji, Byakugan activated, staring intently at the Genin. Obviously, something was wrong with the door, _and_ the Genin. Neji was probably attempting to find another way to room 305 without attracting the attention of the Genin _or _the other Genin.

Naruto stared at the door himself. _Something _was wrong with the door… Suddenly, he frowned. Weren't they on the _second_ floor? Then, the number on the door, shouldn't be 305, it should be _205_. And, those Genin were a bit too strong to be regular Genin…Actually, they felt more like _Chuunin. Gotcha!_ thought the blonde in triumph, smirking. He made to turn around, with the intention of informing his team, but he was too late. As he spun, Sasuke abruptly brushed past him, an arrogant look on his face.

"Get out of the way!" screeched Sakura, trailing along behind the stuck-up Uchiha. The groups of Genin parted reluctantly, and Naruto simply watched as his two teammates walked up to the door, where Tenten, Lee and Neji stood. Naruto stared, confused. What was Sasuke doing? It was when the Uchiha turned to look at Naruto smugly, Sharingans blazing, that he realized. Sasuke was going to confront the Genin about the Genjutsu on the door! Naruto began to dart forward, but again, he was too late. Sasuke had already begun.

"Che….Just drop the Genjutsu already." he said loudly and arrogantly. "You're not fooling _us_." Naruto facepalmed. Sasuke's arrogance had just cost Team Kakashi quite a large chance of actually breezing through the exams. Naruto had had enough. Pushing through the crowd, he began to make his way to Sasuke. Just as he reached, the Uchiha opened his mouth again, but Naruto beat him to it.

"Uchiha." he said, stonily, quietly. "Shut up. You've done enough damage already. Don't you _know_ what that Genjutsu was for?" Naruto gestured towards the now-exposed door 205, his voice growing in volume and intensity. "Baka. That Genjutsu would've weeded out all the weaker teams who couldn't detect it, and we stronger teams would've had a better chance at getting through the exams! Plus, those are no Genin…" A murmur ran through the crowd of observing Genin, and the pseudo-Genin guarding the door looked impressed. Then Sasuke turned away with a huff.

"Tch, dobe. You think you know everything. Move." he said to Tenten, pushing her aside. Tenten and Neji's eyes filled with anger, but it was Lee who attacked.

"YOSH! MY RIVAL IS NOT DISPLAYING YOUTHFULNESS! FOR THAT I CHALLENGE HIM!"

The spandex-wearing shinobi fell into a Taijutsu stance and flew at Sasuke, leg outstretched for a bone-shattering kick. Sasuke didn't even see it coming, busy glaring at Naruto for spoiling his show of power. Therefore, he was shocked speechless when Naruto suddenly shifted into a Taijutsu stance, blocking Lee's kick with some difficulty.

"Calm down, Lee," Naruto admonished, releasing just a bit of killer intent. Lee immediately backed down, and the blonde turned away from Team Gai to his own team. They hadn't recovered yet. Sasuke's scowl was still in place, albeit a bit dazed, and Sakura's jaw was completely unhinged. Sighing, Naruto turned towards the disguised door, only to find that the Genjutsu had now been lifted and that the Chuunin guarding the double doors had disappeared.

"Che…" he muttered. "Let's go." Still in shock, Sasuke and Sakura silently followed Naruto out of the corridor and through a staircase that would take them to room 305.

The Genin team travelled through the building in silence; Sasuke was sulking, Sakura was staring at her beloved 'Sasuke-kun,' and Naruto was trying to figure out the first test, simultaneously berating himself for showing that he could beat a Taijutsu user as strong as Lee to every team present. Oh well, at least they didn't know his true potential.

"Hn. Nearly there," said Sasuke curtly, drawing Naruto's attention to an open door at the end of the corridor they were presently in. Their Jounin-sensei was waiting for them beside the door. Kakashi eye-smiled at them as they drew closer.

"Very good…all of you are here. Are you ready for the first exam?" Team Kakashi immediately grinned, even Sasuke – even though his was more of a smirk.

"Hai." replied Naruto quietly. Inside his head, Kyuubi snickered.

"**Of course we're ready, we're Akuma Hiai!"** Naruto rolled his eyes mentally at the boasting fox demon.

'_They don't know that, Kyuubi._'answered Naruto, exasperated. The blonde Genin nodded at Kakashi as he passed, his heart thumping in anticipation. _'Be quiet now, Kyuubi, I need to be alert.'_ The Kitsune snorted, but fell silent, and Naruto sighed in relief, abruptly tensing as he entered the room. There was so much killing intent… Annoyed, Naruto released some of his own K.I, which he had perfected as Akuma Hiai, and the room, full of quietly conversing, tenser ninja, instantaneously grew deathly still and turned to look at Team Kakashi. Naruto met their gazes calmly, and even the more hostile Genin looked away. Smirking, the Namikaze looked around the room for the other Konoha Genin. He soon spotted them, and quickly made his way through the crowd, his teammates trailing behind.

Kiba stared as he came up to the group. He wasn't the only one staring, either. Even Shino and Shikamaru looked shocked. They had never seen Naruto dressed like that. He looked….he looked…._strong._ The Genin group suppressed a chorus shudder, and managed to greet their comrade. Ino's cheeks were highly dusted with pink. Naruto-kun was soo handsome…._and_ modestly strong, not like Sasuke, who was barely stronger than the rest of the Genin and acted as if he was on par with the Hokage.

"Konnichiwa, Naruto-kun," she said cheerfully, smiling at the handsome blonde. Naruto grinned back

"Konnichiwa, Ino-chan. Ready to kick some Genin ass?" The Yamanaka female smirked.

"Yeah. I-" But what she was going to say never came out, because they were interrupted by the arrival of a silver-haired Genin.

Naruto's danger senses immediately perked up, and he narrowed his feline eyes at the unknown male. There was something definitely untrustworthy about this Genin.

"You know, you rookies shouldn't draw so much attention to yourselves," he commented slyly. "You're agitating quite a lot of teams." Naruto cut his eyes to the side, noting that the other Genin was correct. Or, mostly correct. The Iwa nin were staring aggressively at the Konoha group, their eyes trained on _him_. Obviously, they had realized his heritage. They saw him looking, and sneered. Smirking in reply, Naruto shifted his stance, increasing his 'fear factor.' The art of body language was a subtle one, and it had taken Naruto all his years away from Konoha to realize it. His tactic worked; every eye immediately left him, even the most aggressive ones, and Naruto turned back to the strange Genin.

"Who are you?" he queried, suspicious. He noticed the hitai-ate, and frowned. Oto nin did not converse with Konoha nin unless there was an ulterior motive.

"My name is Yakushi Kabuto," he said, drawing out some cards. "I just thought I would come and warn you not to act like rookies, and irritate the Iwa. I'm a veteran here, you know." Kiba sneered.

"Veteran? Is this your second time?" Kabuto smiled mysteriously.

"Iie. This is my seventh time." Kiba recoiled in horror.

"Man, you must suck!" Kabuto shrugged nonchalantly, and Naruto and Shikamaru narrowed their eyes at each other. There was a story there.

"Maybe I do," replied Kabuto. "But there is an upside, I've collected information on almost everyone in the room. Would you like to know about anyone?" Shooting a look at Naruto, Shikamaru began to step forward, but Sasuke beat him to it.

"Uzumaki Naruto." he stated.

The entire group looked at him in surprise. Sasuke was the last person the others would've thought to ask, since he was on Naruto's team, and therefore should know his teammate's strength. Naruto scowled, and brushed his hair out of his face. His earring glinted on his ear, and the Konoha Genin froze. Naruto had an earring?

"Naruto, where did you get that?" asked Kiba, in an awed tone. Naruto stared at him, uncomprehending.

"What?" he asked. Kiba sweatdropped.

"The earring!" he exclaimed. Naruto grinned devilishly.

"Oh, that?" he asked, fingering the small silver hoops in his ear. "I've had these for about 2 years now; you just didn't notice." He gestured to Kabuto, one eyebrow raised. "Don't you want to hear about me?" Shikamaru smirked.

"We do. So do they," he commented, gesturing to the rest of the room. The Namikaze smirked.

"Go on, Kabuto," he said, knowing that the Oto shinobi wouldn't have too much on him. The Oto Genin drew out a card, and his brows rose high in surprise.

"This is the first time…" he muttered. But, seeing Kiba's impatience, he began to read.

"Uzumaki Naruto, member of Team Kakashi. Has been away for about 3 years. There is nothing else."

"Nothing else?" queried Kiba, in disbelief.

"Nothing else." repeated Kabuto. The room grew still, and if a pin had dropped, it would've had the aural equivalent of a bomb. Every decent ninja present knew that the most dangerous shinobi were the unknown ones, and Naruto was immediately high up on the danger list of every ninja in the room.

The Namikaze narrowed his eyes at Kabuto. This Oto ninja was getting more and more shady.

"Kabuto, show us some information on Yakushi Kabuto," he asked in a deceptively civil voice. The silver-haired Genin tensed noticeably, and his eyes darted from side to side behind the circular frames of his glasses. Shikamaru caught on to Naruto's intentions, and spoke up.

"Come on, Kabuto. You said any ninja in the room." The Oto Genin was trapped. Shooting a quick, furtive glance to his left, Kabuto began to say something, but almost simultaneously, a door at the opposite end of the room was flung open, and a heavily scarred, scowling Jounin appeared. Otherwise than an excess amount of scar tissue, there was nothing highly unusual about the imposing figure, but _something_ about him made every ninja in the room stand straight and pay rapt attention to his every nuance.

"All right, you little punks, let's get seated!" he barked roughly. Immediately, the Genin in the room milled around, finding their allotted seat with the aid of a few Chuunin acting as examiners. It didn't take long for them all to be seated, despite the sheer volume of Genin, and the Jounin stalked to the front of the room.

"My name is Morino Ibiki, and I am your chief examiner. In front each of you, there is a paper, with 9 questions. The entire test consists of 10 questions. You will be given the 10th question last. Answer these 9 questions. The test is a team event, that is, passing is determined by each team's score. Those caught cheating will lose 2 points for each offense from your default starter sum of 10 points. As for question 10, it will be given 45 minutes after the test begins."

A few Genin murmured at the almost unfair odds and Ibiki's sharp eyes snapped in the direction of the mumbled complaints.

"Is there a problem?" he queried belligerently. The grumbles immediately ceased, and a vague negative sound was produced. Ibiki smiled unpleasantly, and returned his attention to the entire room.

"As you can see, it will be very hard to cheat," he began, gesturing at either side of the room at the 20 or so Chuunin seated at strategic points around the students. "These Chuunin will be observing you all, and will know if you have cheated. Now, begin!"

There was an immediate rustling of paper as the Genin collectively turned over the few sheets of paper on the desk in front of them.

* * *

Hinata stared unblinkingly at the back of Uzumaki Naruto's golden-haired head. She knew that her unusual white-pupiled eyes, coupled with her intense perusal, probably made her look creepy and weird, but she didn't care. Why was she staring at him anyway? She didn't even like him anymore; not that what she had been feeling was any more than a warped form of admiration and strong friendship. At first, she had been heartbroken when she realized that her 'feelings' for him were unreturned, and had harbored slight resentment against Ino – for she had observed the blonde male enough to realize his romantic feelings towards the Yamanaka, no matter how subtle they were. Then, on the day he left, she had followed Ino after she defended Naruto against Sakura, her childhood friend, and witness her tears. It was then that she realized the strength of Ino's love for Naruto. She had still thought that she loved Naruto, but had resolved to withdraw her affection in order to let true love run its course. And then, as the months passed and Ino's hurting heart only fueled her determination to get stronger and bring Naruto back or make Konoha a better place so he would return, she realized. She realized that she did not feel those powerful feelings toward the Uzumaki blonde. In fact, her feelings dwindled, and she found herself thinking less and less about Naruto, and more about Kiba, who was only too happy to pay attention to her. Hinata smiled to herself. In fact, if she wasn't mistaken, she was beginning to feel for Kiba what Ino unmistakably felt for Naruto. Scratch that. She _did_ feel the same way for Kiba that Ino felt for Naruto. It was a certainty. Only Kiba knew the girl behind the shy, unassuming exterior; the girl who had practiced until her hands bled, the girl who secretly studied all the Hyuuga traditions so that she could be a good leader, the girl that had vowed to make the elders rethink their misuse of the caged seal; the girl that loved Inuzuka Kiba. Hinata's white, pupil-less eyes drifted from her blank paper over to the row across from hers, and landed on Kiba, who was already watching her. The Genin grinned cheerfully at her, his elongated canines prominent. Hinata smiled back, and then she abruptly returned to the present. This was not the time to reminiscence and daydream. She already knew that she had to cheat without getting caught… But how? The examiners would see the telltale veins that stood out on her face if she turned on her Byakugan. Then an idea struck. The Byakugan had almost 360˚ vision, so, no matter where her had was, she would be able to see in almost any direction. The Hyuuga buried her head in her arms, and silently activated her Byakugan, something she had also practiced relentlessly. Everything suddenly came into greater focus. All solids became transparent, and people and colors were replaced by chakra pathways, tenketsus, and hues of grey. Hinata looked around the room, until she found a disguised Chuunin. Smirking into her hands, she began copying down her answers. She wasn't worried about Kiba and Shino; they would get through fine. But, as the other Genin were not on her team, she had no idea of their skills apart from a mere estimation based on practices together. _Do your best, everyone, _she thought silently, fervently.

* * *

Ino's body jerked slightly as she re-occupied it, drawing a strange look from her seat companion. Ignoring him, the Yamanaka kunoichi began to hastily write down the answers she had gained from a Chuunin examiner's mind before she forgot. Before long, she had managed to scribble down every answer to the 9 questions printed on the paper, and now had nothing to do, except maybe look around and try to gather information on the other Genin. Her blue eyes scanned the room, stopping briefly on Shikamaru, who was using his Kagemane jutsu to make some of the more 'troublesome' Genin look as if they were cheating blatantly and get sent out, disqualified. Smirking, the kunoichi continued her perusal of the room's occupants. Ino's eyes rested briefly on the other Konoha Genin that she could see from her seat, noting that they seemed to be okay. She could see Shino, Hinata, Sasuke, Sakura, and Shikamaru. There didn't seem to be anyone else that she could see…. Then she spotted a familiar head of blonde spiky hair, and a blush immediately made its way to her cheeks. Naruto-kun! Ino was so glad he had returned. Maybe, just maybe, this time around, she would finally show him how she felt. Actually, she would. She had no excuse this time.

The Yamanaka stared at the blonde head, noting the glint of the small silver hoops she knew were on his right ear. The earrings were a nice touch… Heat rose to her cheeks again, and she had to fight to suppress the silly grin that threatened to adorn her face. She opted instead to wonder where Naruto had been for the past 3 years. It was a mystery. No one had heard or seen either head or hair of the Uzumaki blonde, and then suddenly, he pops up in disguise as a Kusa Chuunin in Konohagakure itself. _Would we have known he was there if Neji had not had the Byakugan and was curious?_ she wondered. _Would Naruto-kun have revealed himself? _Her fellow Genin had gotten stronger in his 3 years of absence, but, even without showing his strength, Ino could tell that Naruto-kun was still far stronger than them all. He would have no problems with the Chuunin exams – that is, if he avoided that red-headed Suna ninja. She had been on the verge of asking Kabuto about him, but Sasuke – he was so arrogant – had beaten her to it. Speaking of Sasuke, Tenten had managed to tell her about the scene in corridor 205. Sasuke should really think through his shows of 'power' and concentrate on actually doing something powerful. As for Sakura – Ino felt a brief moment of sadness for the loss of her childhood friend – she needed to stop thinking about Sasuke only and realize that kunoichi had better things to do. _You will not last long as a kunoichi like that, Sakura,_ she thought morosely, gazing at the pink-haired kunoichi. _No one can._

_

* * *

_

Naruto smirked triumphantly to himself. He had just managed to perform an extremely stealthy Kawarimi on the paper of the Chuunin examiner in disguise next to him, henging his own blank paper to look like the Chuunin's. The examiner should be ashamed of himself... Naruto's thoughts trailed off as he scanned the room, trying to get a glimpse of his fellow Genin. He could see Shikamaru, using his Kagemane to get some poor Genin in trouble – a piece of evidence of the mischievous nature that had surfaced from being around Naruto- Shino, communicating sneakily with one of his bugs, and Akamaru, somehow managing to sneak around unseen by the examiners giving answers to Kiba via quiet growls and yips, barely discernible to even Naruto's Kyuubi-enhanced hearing. Sasuke's Sharingan tomoe were spinning dizzyingly as he focused on a Chuunin's paper, and Sakura was staring at Sasuke. Wait. Naruto looked at the kunoichi in blatant disgust. Sakura had no self-worth, no pride in accomplishment. This was the Chuunin Selection Examinations, their chance to move up in the shinobi ranks and gain strength and recognition, and she was basically throwing it away to stare at Sasuke? The Namikaze blonde shook his head, and settled down in his seat for a rejuvenating nap. Kami knew he would need it.

He descended to the welcoming arms of sleep, one ear 'cocked' like a fox for any threatening changes in his surroundings. But, as his eyelids closed, and blackness overtook his vision, the Namikaze suddenly found himself in his mindscape, standing directly in front of the cage that housed the Kyuubi no Kitsune. _'What is it, Kyuubi?'_ asked Naruto, slightly irritated. Couldn't he just sleep like a normal person? Kyuubi's nine crimson tails swished restlessly for a moment before the fox began.

"**Don't worry, I will soon let you go back to sleep. But I just wanted to warn you of two things: one, Yakushi Kabuto. He is up to something; in addition, he reeks of snakes. Foxes and snakes have never coexisted peacefully, and to a fox, the odor of snakes is both repulsive and an omen of an unfavourable future. Also, anyone with spy skills is to be feared on your side or not. Two: the Ichibi container; that Suna boy. Kit, even though Ichibi was only a one-tailed bijuu back in the times when we were all free, we feared him, for his was power-hungry, and longed for domination of the bijuu world. I do not think he has abandoned these aspirations, based on the malevolent youkai that the Suna Jinchuuriki emits." **Kyuubi shook his monstrous head in disbelief and wry humor. **"I never would've thought I would actually be aiding a human… We bijuu do not interfere with circumstances outside the boundaries of our world…but here, we have no choice, the boundaries have already crossed and merged until they are non-existent."** Naruto nodded slowly.

'_You are right, Kyuubi, especially about Yakushi Kabuto. Generally, because of the identity of their leader, Otogakure's shinobi forces are not on friendly terms with the shinobi of Konohagakure. So when Kabuto approached our group, my danger senses went on high alert. I-'_ But as to what Naruto was about to say, Kyuubi would have to wait, because he had been woken up.

Outside his mindscape, Naruto's closed eyelids snapped open abruptly, and he raised his right hand quickly to intercept a flying kunai aimed straight at his forehead. There was a collective gasp, and, without shifting his eyes from the desk where they had focused, Naruto spun the weapon in his hand and launched it back in the direction from which it had come, raising his head to follow its trajectory out of curiosity. Its thrower was Ibiki Morino, head examiner of the first test. The Jounin had barely escaped the kunai, and was now eyeing Naruto in a calculating, slightly amused manner. The Namikaze blonde met the Interrogation specialist's eyes easily, and the males had a silent battle before Ibiki, deciding to get on with the examination, looked away, grudgingly conceding defeat, and continued his speech.

"As I was saying, this 10th question will determine if you pass or fail. If you take it and get it wrong, then you will be disqualified and marked as ineligible for any future Chuunin exams. If you take it and get it correct, you pass. And if you choose not to take it at all, you will be disqualified, but retain the chance to re-take the exam whenever it occurs again." The torture specialist fought back a smug, predatory smirk as he noted the tense atmosphere of the room. Ahh…Genin. They were so gullible. He had already managed to restore their fear… Already many were exiting the room, retreating to lick their wounds and take stock for another round much later on.

Naruto glanced around at the students in the room, brilliant cerulean eyes taking in every nuance, every nervous shift of the Genin's bodies. There were varying degrees of reactions to Ibiki's ultimatum. Most were obviously cowed and thoroughly intimidated; yet with a sense of injustice, and some others looked completely defeated; they had given up entirely. Naruto sighed. Giving up meant that those Genin lacked a certain amount of backbone needed to truly thrive in the world of shinobi and kunoichi. Then there were the Genin who stood out: Nara Shikamaru, who looked unfazed, even managing to look as if he were in a light daze, or meditative state; Gaara, who looked as mentally unstable and completely unfazed by anyone or anything as the first time Naruto had encountered him; and Yakushi Kabuto, whose circular glasses were glinting rather ominously as his head swiveled almost mechanically from side to side, observing the Genin and most probably collecting vital spy information. Frowning, Naruto suddenly had an idea, and he picked up the paper on his desk, scribbling something in the completed test paper in front of him. He wasn't supposed to touch the paper but this was different. He wrote, _Yakushi Kabuto is not what he appears to be._ Smirking, the Namikaze heir laid down the pen and returned his attention to the room at large. It was already half empty, and the Genin that remained were either completely decided or communicating fiercely by eye-language with their teammates on a final decision. Naruto sighed, and lounged back in his seat, preparing to wait. He didn't have to wait much longer. About 5 minutes later, Ibiki declared the time to be up, and that they passed. The room was quiet, the air literally tinged with shock and confusion. Then pandemonium broke loose. Every Genin began to speak, firing questions at each other. How did they pass? Was this method of testing them legal? How? Was the threat about being ineligible for future Chuunin Selection Examinations valid? It went on for about a minute and a half, and when it showed no signs of abating, Ibiki decided he had endured enough.

"**QUIET**!" he bellowed, and every Genin fell silent in either fear or shock. Smirking, Ibiki continued.

"The final decision, to take or not to take the 10th question, _was _the 10th question. In other words, you were being tested to see if you were capable of taking a potentially detrimental chance to 'complete a mission.' There will be times in the future when you might be forced to abandon a comrade in the grasp of the enemy to save the mission and your other comrades, and you have proven yourselves worthy today." Ibiki raised his hand, and abruptly took off his hitai-ate bandana, revealing a scalp and forehead littered with horrible, puckered scars. Smiling grimly at the horrified Genin, he began again.

"As ninja, we face daily terrors of torture, murder and assassination," he murmured, not needing to bark loudly, given the silence in the room. "Sometimes, as a team member, you will need to undergo torture, accomplish the impossible. That is the life of a ninja." The heavily scarred Jounin opened his lips to continue, putting back on his hitai-ate, when the glass of the window to his left suddenly shattered, and in the blink of an eye, a huge black banner had stretched the width of the room, obscuring Ibiki from view. In front of it stood a scantily dressed kunoichi, her legs splayed in a highly dominant stance and arms akimbo. Mitarashi Anko.

"Woman, you're early!" growled Ibiki's voice irritably from behind the black barrier. "And you stupid banner's blocking me!" The mesh-clad female ignored his complaints, substituting some of her own. Scanning the room, she said aggressively,

"78? Ibiki you left 26 teams in! That's too much!" The Jounin sniffed in disdain. "Well, I'll cut them by half, at least." The Genin in the room gazed at the woman in horror, and Naruto fought the urge to facepalm. Mitarashi Anko was one strange, strange female. The Namikaze could hear the appreciative titters of the male Genin whose terror had been overpowered by her scanty outfit and other rude Chuunin examiners in the room, and he smirked, recalling his own reaction when he had first met her as Akuma Hiai. Why wouldn't she wear more clothing? It was bound to be somewhat distracting if he ever had to seriously fight her, and not simply overpower her like he did before. Suddenly Kyuubi butted in.

"**She looks fine the way she is."** Naruto mentally facepalmed.

'_You __**would**__ say that, you perverted kitsune.'_ The demon fox simply chuckled.

"**She's speaking,"** he told his host. Naruto quickly tuned back into the world around him.

"-explain everything once we change places; now just follow me- that is, if you can."

The kunoichi leaped back through the window, and unfreezing quickly, every Genin in the room followed suit, trying to keep her in sight whilst simultaneously attempting to join up with their teammates. They had a Chuunin exam to complete.

* * *

That's Chapter 11 for ya! Enjoy!

Kyuubi's perverted lol!

szayelchick

ps: Crazy Train is just the awesomest song ever! And here's a shout-out for my faithful reviewers: THANKS SOOO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION! I LOVE YOU ALL!


	12. The Forest of Death

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Key: "Normal person speaking."

_Normal person thinking._

'_Naruto talking to Kyuubi.'_

"**Kyuubi talking to Naruto."**

**

* * *

**

The Forest of Death

Yuuhi Kurenai stretched sinuously, her ruby-red pupils momentarily obscured by her eyelids as she yawned.

"They're in Anko's hands now; we just have to wait for them to arrive at the building," she commented. Kakashi and Asuma made vague sounds of agreement. Then Asuma turned to Kakashi.

"Your Uchiha has a problem. Is he always like that?" Kakashi's face shadowed, and he nodded.

"Hai. It has gotten worse since Naruto left, because he didn't have anyone to compete with, anyone to challenge his superiority, since his Sharingan gives him an advantage over the rest of the Genin. It didn't help that the villagers and Sakura fawned over him everywhere he went." Asuma shook his head.

"Sasuke is strong, no doubt; but that attitude of his….it might just be detrimental." Kurenai, who had been listening without comment, pitched in.

"That reminds me. When did Naruto get so strong? I mean, everyone above Chuunin knew he had the potential, being a Jinchuuriki – "

_And the son of a Namikaze, _added Kakashi silently in his mind.

"-but this strength he showed had nothing to do with being a Jinchuuriki. What _did_ he do whilst he was away? And three years is quite a short time to gain such strength, based on the level he was at when he left. Naruto was the weakest of the Genin at the time of his departure." Kakashi shook his head.

"I don't know, Kurenai, I don't know." Asuma pitched in.

"Hmm…the only thing I can think of was that he could've hid his true strength from everyone, just like he did with his genius status. I mean, someone doesn't just _become_ a genius from nowhere…" Kakashi shrugged, and, growing uncomfortable under the curious stares of Asuma and Kurenai, he changed the subject.

"What about Shikamaru? He finished so quickly, and then went to sleep." Asuma smirked.

"Shikamaru…" he shook his head in slight frustration. "Shikamaru is the laziest yet possibly the smartest, - apart from Naruto – person I have ever met. He was not sleeping; rather, he was gathering information in his head about the other Genin, and formulating plans like which Genin teams to stay away from, which are especially aggressive, and so on. He was classing them. And he doesn't even know what he's going to do in the second stage." Kurenai shook her head.

"Shikamaru is exactly like Shikaku. Unbelievably lazy, but also incredibly smart." The shapely jounin rose from her seat. "We should be heading to the tower to await them, shouldn't we?" she asked. Kakashi and Asuma murmured affirmation and rose to follow her out the room, receiving comments on their teams from various Jounin in the room as they went. Smiling proudly, they exited. Maybe they really didn't have too much to worry about – _maybe_.

* * *

Ibiki's stoic obsidian eyes observed the Chuunin examiners as they systematically collected the Genins' papers, every now and again scoffing derisively as they passed over a paper that a Genin had attempted to answer. The questions were nigh impossible for an average Genin to complete, as they were all high-Chuunin level questions. Then a Chuunin at the end of the leftmost row gasped, drawing the attention of the others in the room.

"Hey! The Uzumaki kid answered every single question, with extra details!" Ibiki's jaw dropped. Extra details that not even the Chuunin examiners had on their answer sheets? He didn't _have_ to cheat…he actually knew the answers to the questions. The Jounin stalked over to the small crowd that had formed, shoving roughly through to reach the Chuunin in the center.

"Let me see that," he growled. His eyes widened as he perused the paper. _Every _question was indeed answered correctly, with explanations more befitting of a Jounin teacher than a rookie Genin where he had modified the paper. Ibiki smirked.

"Hey Kohazu! Was this your paper?" he asked loudly, brandishing the flimsy material. The Chuunin in mention pushed through the surrounding crowd.

"Hai," he answered succinctly. Ibiki roughly handed him the paper.

"Look at it." Kohazu took the exam paper and boggled at it. It _was_ his paper, in every sense of the word. His writing adorned it, except where Naruto had filled in extra details in his own handwriting. Then he caught sight of some more, smaller writing in the margin. Squinting, he brought the paper close to his face to ascertain exactly what was written. _'Yakushi Kabuto is not what he appears to be.'_ The Chuunin stared at the paper. _What?_

Ibiki caught sight of Kohazu's bewildered, slightly apprehensive expression and came over to the other male.

"What is it?" he asked roughly. The Chuunin was just standing there, staring blankly at the paper like a moron! Kohazu turned around and wordlessly handed the scarred man the exam paper, pointing mutely to the tiny writing in the margin. The torture specialist stared at the cryptic message, before turning on his heel and dropping the paper onto a nearby desk. This matter would be taken to the Sandaime – again. Maybe they had finally collected incriminating information on the little spy. Every year for the past 7 years that Yakushi Kabuto had been supposedly spying on Orochimaru for Konoha, missions and assassinations that would've benefited Konohagakure and set back or crippled Otogakure had gone wrong. To test their theory of Kabuto's betrayal, they had set another spy along with Kabuto on the same mission. Both Kabuto and the other spy had brought back completely different reports, and before acting on each, they had followed up their individual leads. Kabuto's turned out to be a trap, and they had brought him in for questioning. However, he had turned out to be as slippery as Orochimaru himself, having already made sure to have an alibi. After this investigation, Kabuto had begun to be even more careful, and they had strong feelings as to the veracity of his betrayal, but there was no evidence to pin him down as a traitor of Konohagakure. Ibiki growled. He was going to the Hokage a bit early, but it didn't matter, since the Hokage had already summoned him to discuss the same matter he was going to complain about. The Sandaime had hinted that they might've found solid evidence of Kabuto's treachery.

A few minutes later, Ibiki was standing in front of the Hokage.

"Yakushi Kabuto," was all he said. The Hokage nodded, instantly knowing what the interrogation master was referring to.

"I expected you to come. We've got him, he's involved with Orochimaru." replied the Sandaime. Ibiki nodded, satisfied, and made to speak, but Sarutobi headed him off.

"However, we found something else. The information our spy gave us hints that Kabuto is not fully loyal to Orochimaru either. Where his loyalties lie at the moment is a mystery, but we suspect that he is somehow connected to that criminal organization Akatsuki that every country is whispering about." Ibiki stared, and the Hokage nodded wryly.

"Yes, this is rather complicated." Grunting in reply, the torture specialist Shunshined away to ponder on the new developments and 'play' with a few unfortunate Iwa shinobi.

* * *

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke trudged around the corner of the path and into a clearing where the entrance to the Forest of Death was located. Halfway to the Forest of Death, Sasuke had realized where they were going and alerted Naruto and Sakura. The Genin had slowed down in order to save strength and stamina for the next task. They would still reach in time; they just didn't have to go at Anko's speed. Surprisingly, Sasuke had turned out to be quite useful, taking charge and showing his team a few shortcuts to the grounds. Naruto knew that Sasuke had not discovered these shortcuts for the sole reason of knowing his way around Konoha in case of an attack, as he had insinuated. The instant that their eyes had met after the Uchiha refused to expound on exactly how and why he took shortcuts around Konoha. _Fangirls._ That was the main reason. Sasuke needed quick ways to get around without being mobbed and molested to death by overeager kunoichi.

The Namikaze focused on his surroundings. He had never been to this side of Konoha before. In front of him lay a mesh fence with various gateways, all securely locked with padlocks, located at certain distances on the fence. Directly behind the fence were enormous trees, their roots easily dwarfing the fence, darkness prominent in the spaces between the shrubberies. His eyes settled on the other Genin teams. It looked as if everyone had managed to reach the forest; the Suna team, Teams 10, 8 and 6 and the Iwa teams had all made it. Naruto smiled in relief at the presence of the Konoha 12. It would've looked really pitiful if Konoha's own teams were unable to keep up with Anko in their own habitat.

Naruto snapped out of his musings when the slightly belligerent Jounin yelled,

"Alright! Listen up. This is the Forest of Death, one of the most dangerous areas of Konoha. You will be going in there. But before entering, you will each receive a scroll. One half of you, that is, 13 teams, will receive a Heaven scroll, and the other half, an Earth scroll. Your task is to collect a Heaven scroll if you have an Earth scroll, and vice versa, and make your way through the forest to the tower on the other side, where the second stage will continue. However, this must be done in 5 days. Those who lose a teammate or get killed are disqualified. Also, those who do not make it to the tower within the allotted time will also be disqualified. And you must not, at any cost, open any of the scrolls before reaching the tower." The kunoichi went on, but Naruto blocked her out. He could get Sasuke to tell him later. He had something to ponder. Two scrolls….that meant that only 13 teams at most would pass this stage…

Suddenly, Naruto's body tensed as he felt a cold blade against his jugular.

"You should listen to your superiors, _boy,_" whispered a seductive voice in his ear. Anko. The blade pressed harder, drawing blood, and the strange kunoichi licked his neck erotically.

"Such tasty blood…." She commented, in a mere whisper. Naruto raised an eyebrow, and was just about to throw her off, when another voice came. It was soft and silky; its very silkiness its most menacing feature, and almost sibilant, as if a snake was speaking.

"Thisss isss yourss, I believe."

A kunai came into Naruto's peripheral vision, and he twisted his neck gingerly – Anko had not removed the kunai – to see the speaker. But instead of a hand, his eyes fell on a long, pink appendage. A tongue? The organ was curled around the kunai exactly like a snake's. Then the scent hit his nostrils, and he tensed again. This was the second person to carry that snaky scent in a few hours. He could feel Anko tensing behind him.

"Unless you want to die, don't sneak up behind me," she said jovially, her hand clutching the other kunai. Her facial expression and tone of voice were rather causal, but there was a faintly threatening undertone in her voice. The Kusa ninja smirked, and as Anko's grip loosened, Naruto turned around to better see the mysterious figure.

It was a strangely snake-like woman. Her dark hair was long and lank, and her pale features were partially shadowed by the large straw hat she and the rest of her team wore. But it was her eyes that rooted Naruto to the spot and made him feel like a rookie all over again. They were yellow; that acidic, poisonous hue of yellow that reminded the Genin of a deadly snake. There was no emotion except maliciousness and overall cruelty in them – this woman delighted in despair, death and destruction. Fighting back a shudder, Naruto watched as Anko took the kunai from the woman's tongue so she could speak. Her voice was just as reptilian as her appearance, with a sibilant hiss underlying each nuance.

"Sorry, I get excited when I see red blood, plus you cut my precious hair, I couldn't help it," she replied, running a pale hand through her now imperfect locks. The kunoichi and Anko locked eyes, unspoken threats hanging heavily in the air, and their oppressive chakra suffocating those nearby. Then the moment passed, and smiling in a way that made Naruto's stomach lurch, the Kusa kunoichi turned away and returned to her own team. Behind Naruto, Anko relaxed and moved away from the Namikaze to address the teams as a whole.

"Alright! Before you collect your scrolls, there is something I would like you to sign." Anko brandished a sheaf of papers at the curious Genin. "This is a certificate to absolve myself as the examiner of the Chuunin examination and Konohagakure no sato from all liabilities should you come to mortal harm in the Forest of Death." Quite a few Genin paled on hearing this, but Naruto simply looked around as he waited for Anko to give him his form._ Was this how naïve and easily frightened I was a few years ago?_ he questioned himself. _I hope not._ Kyuubi answered his musings.

"**You were. Maybe not as bad, due to your childhood tormentors, but you were quite the naïve host back then."** Naruto sent a mental scowl to Kyuubi.

'_It was meant to be a rhetorical question, dammit!'_ he said in exasperation.

The Jinchuuriki tuned back into his surroundings – he had to stop doing that – and was just in time to see the teams beginning to line up at the two booths to receive their respective scroll. As he stood in the line, his azure eyes scanned the area unobtrusively, noting important details, like the fact that one of the Kusa teams had no weapons or weapons pouches in sight, and covered almost every inch of skin with clothing; and one of the Iwa shinobi had a sort of paranoia complex – he kept glancing around him suspiciously and almost attacking anyone who did something without prior warning, even his own teammates. He also noted the Kusa kunoichi that had confronted Anko earlier was gazing almost _hungrily_ at Sasuke, like a forbidden, yet delectable fruit that was a few centimeters out of reach. Naruto felt slightly disturbed. Grown women shouldn't be looking at little boys like _that._ Suppressing a sickened shudder, Naruto shuffled forward in their line, watching as a sullen Sasuke collected their Heaven scroll from the Chuunin in the booth. The odd Kusa team had also collected their scroll, an Earth scroll.

The Genin trio walked away from the line to join the small group of Konoha shinobi that their peers had formed in a small area of the clearing. Almost everyone was there: Team Gai, Team Kurenai, and now Team Kakashi. Only Team Asuma had yet to come; they were still in their line to receive an Earth scroll.

It didn't take long for them to collect their scroll, and Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji made their way over to their fellow Genin. When Sakura caught sight of Ino, she immediately turned her back on the group, huffing under her breath. Ino's face fell slightly, because even though they hadn't spoken civilly in about three years, it still hurt to have her childhood friend treat her badly over virtually nothing. Then she felt herself enveloped in a hug from behind. Naruto had caught her mood and decided to cheer her up.

"Don't worry about Sakura, Ino-chan," he said quietly into her ear. "Don't let her distract you. You're strong, and you're going to become a Chuunin. Sakura hasn't grown up yet." Then, as Anko began yelling for the teams to go to their various gates, he spun her around and smiled down at her.

"Good luck, Ino-chan. Do your best." Slightly dazed, Ino returned the smile and watched as the other blonde followed his teammates to gate 12. Then, she came to her senses, dashing to rejoin her teammates at gate 27. She would show Naruto-kun that he was right; that she could become a Chuunin.

* * *

Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief as Ino re-joined their team. He knew she wouldn't let herself get left behind, but his nerves wouldn't listen to his perfectly logical mind. The Nara Genin gazed over at the other Genin teams, noting the gates numbers of those he could see. _Hmmm…the Oto team is at gate 20, and that Kabuto and his team are at gate 38…_ if he craned his neck, he could see Kiba, Hinata and Shino at what was apparently gate 16. He frowned; they would have to watch out for the Oto and Kabuto's teams, since they appeared rather vicious. He looked at Chouji's large figure, knowing he had their scroll. _We have Earth…_ they just needed to get a Heaven scroll. It shouldn't be too hard…Chouji's brute strength could crush almost _anyone_, and Ino could always take control of someone's body while he trapped them with his shadows. Yes, their team would do just fine if they managed to avoid the more aggressive teams. The Nara moved closer to Chouji and Ino, sighing. These exams were so troublesome….

* * *

Kiba stood with his team at gate 16, Akamaru by his side. Team 8 was going to _crush_ the Chuunin exams! The slightly feral boy looked over at his teammates. Hinata was already looking his way, and the kunoichi smiled gently at him. He returned the smile, a light blush dusting his tattooed cheekbones, turning away to see if he could spot any of the other teams he knew. Glancing to the left, he grinned as his eyes fell on Team 7. _Naruto looks kinda menacing…_ the Inuzuka thought briefly. _That guy is so strong…_ Kiba looked at the Kusa team next to them at gate 15. Akamaru barked.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, boy," he said to his dog. "There's something – _off_ about them. They _smell_ funny too," he commented, taking a discreet sniff of the air around them. "Like snakes." Kiba turned away hastily as one of the team members, seemingly senseing someone staring, began to look in his direction. The Genin's eyes drifted to the team on their right. The Otogakure team. They were at gate 20. Kiba stared in disbelief. _What is it with these creepy people?_ he thought worriedly. Then he squared his shoulders. _We'll beat them anyway!_ With that, he returned his attentionto the gate in front, grining at a stoic Shino as their eyes met. Here we come, Chuunin exams!

* * *

Naruto stood quietly with his teammates at gate 12, waiting for Anko to give the order to enter. They key to the lock on their gate jingled quietly in Sasuke's hand as the Uchiha shifted impatiently. What was taking so long? Then he heard Anko's voice, and all stray thoughts were completely wiped away. This was it. This was his chance to prove himself, to show the inhabitants of Konoha that he was a true shinobi, a loyal and strong person; not some 'demon brat.' He knew he couldn't change _everyone's_ mind, but he would at least live up to Sarutobi's expectations, whilst changing the opnion of the general populace. The Namikaze drew himself out of his musings, his body alert. He couldn't afford to miss Anko's starting signal. And there it was.

"Hajime!" she yelled, firing a small pistol in the air. The sound of keys driving home into their respective locks filled the air for a few moments, and then they were moving, going inside the forst as Sasuke pushed open the creaky iron gate.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura entered cautiously, at a medium pace, trying to be as stealthy as possible, which, for Naruto and Sasuke, was quite stealthy. Sasuke was in front, as his Sharingan's sight was extremely handy for spotting any possible threats. Then Sakura was in the middle, with Naruto bringing up the rear. The trio made their way carefully, but quickly deep into the forest until they found a small clearing, where they halted to formulate an attack/defense plan.

"Dobe," began Sasuke. The Uchiha's arrogant posture that had surfaced once again at the beginning of the exam was virtually nonexistent. "I'll scout out some teams; find out if they have an Earth scroll." Naruto nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, and whilst you do that, Sakura can be the watch-out for any other teams that can sneak up. I'll sattack first, if we find the team, to give you and Sakura time to adjust and come in." The team shared a smile, Sakura and Naruto getting along for once – and set off again.

Team Kakashi moved through the wild, thick foliage, using Sasuke's Sharingan eyes and Naruto's Kyuubi-enhanced hearing and sense of smell to track the other teams. Once they came close to the Suna team, and they got out of their vicinity as fast as they possibly could without drawin gattentio to themselves. They weren't cowards, but rather had a healthy dose of self-preservation. That Gaara guy was _dangerous._ Naruto shuddered. The other Jinchuuriki spilt youkai like water. _I wouldn't wat to see __**him**__ out of control,_ he thought as they moved through the forest. _Scary._

It turned out to be their lucky day. A few moments after spotting Team Baki, they came upon another Suna team. This team was obviously weak and unprepared. The kunoichi of the team was arguing hotly with her fellow shinobi, and none of the two were paying attention to their surroundings. It was unbelievably easy for Naruto to henge into one of the team members whilst Sakura took him out with a well-placed senbon needle. It was a pity for the Suna team that they had given the scroll to their most inattentive member. All Naruto had to do was place a henge on a random rock, place it in the pouch, henge the real scroll into a rock, and then excuse himself to 'answer nature's call' and slip off. That was it. The squabbling team members didn't even notice their other member's disappearance. Naruto placed the scroll in his special pouch and they began their trek through the forest to the tower at the other side. Now all they had to do was avoid possible confrontations with the other teams.

However, it was not to be so easy. A few hours after their stealthy attack on the Suna team, they encountered the aggressive Iwa shinobi. Naruto frowned. They were most likely the contacts 'Yuki' had boasted about. And he was right. One of them stepped forward. He was obviously the leader of the trio. Naruto looked him up and down, assessing him. The other ninja was dressed wholly in black; black pants, black mesh shirt, black jacket, boots and gloves. He also wore a pair of metal knuckles. A cruel was on his face, and he radiated killer intent. His companions' faces mirrored the same cruelty and blood-thirsty eatgerness. Naruto felt a sinking feeling. These Iwa nin were not Genin by strength – if they even were actually Genin in formal rank. They were at _least_ high chuunin.

The two groups surveyed each other silently, the Iwa nin wearing smirks, and Team Kakashi simply waiting. When it became evident to the Iwa team that Naruto and his conpanions would not attack first, the leader snorted.

"What? Are you afraid of your death, _Namikaze?_" he asked, looking at Naruto. Sakura gasped audibly and stared at her blonde teammate. Even Sasuke's stoic composure slipped a bit. Everyone in Konoha knew the Namikaze clan. How could they not? They were already a strong clan, being descended from the Senju, and then Namikaze Minato became the Yondaime Hokage. They were seeing Naruto in a new light.

Grimacing, Naruto stepped forward. His secret was out. _Oh well, it was being revealed today anyway,_ he thought dismissively. He focused on his opponent, fixing a sneer on his face.

"Please… You sound scared… Namikaze Naruto at your service." In no time at all, Naruto had drawn a kunai and flown at the Iwa leader. The two shinobi began to fight, sharp clangs and flashes of light being produced each time the two kunai met. After a while, Naruto's Iwa opponent tired of the Taijutsu spar, as they were evenly matched because of Naruto's holding back; and opted to begin attacking using Ninjutsu. By this time the other two Iwa ninja had attacked Sakura and Sasuke. Sakura was obviously overwhelmed, and Sasuke seemed to be in the same predicament as Naruto. Naruto groaned mentally. He didn't want to go all out on this Iwa ninja; he had to keep _some_ secrets, and they hadn't even reached halfway to the tower yet. There were many opportunities for other, fresher teams to attack his team as they made their way to the tower. He had to finish this quickly. The Namikaze thought quickly, and smirked. This Iwa ninja was going down. Jumping into a nearby tree, he began kicking the leaves, using Hiraishin to kick them as quickly as he could. The Iwa ninja watched the blonde shinobi in disdain and disbelief, before a victorious smirk adorned his face.

"Stupid Namikaze," he sneered. "Leaves can't do anythi-" His gloating was abruptly cut short with a muffled gargle. Every ninja in the clearing, save Naruto himself, froze in a hybrid of shock and puzzlement. Sasuke stared at the fallen Iwa leader, seeing nothing that could have rendered him unconscious or completely lifeless. Suddenly, a glint caught his eye, and his eyes swiveled back to the other shinobi's throat, and he winced. Four, very shiny, very long and very sharp senbon needles were embedded in the side of the male's neck. Three gasps signaled the simultaneous discoveries of the other ninja in the clearing.

"I-Is he dead?" asked Sakura tremulously. Sasuke smirked to himself. Gone was the pink-haired virago; in its place was now a shivering mass of pink, human-shaped jelly. _Hn..If this is what it takes to shut her up, we should have Chuunin exams more often,_ he mused humorously. Naruto snorted.

"Of course not," he replied impatiently. "Can't you see he's breathing? It's just something to knock him out." The Genin looked closely at the Iwa's chest, which was indeed rising and falling almost imperceptibly. The fallen shinobi's team members scowled and began to attack the blonde shinobi sitting high in the tree, but 8 more well-placed senbon needles quickly rendered them to the same state as their leader. Smirking, Naruto jumped out of the tree, and quickly frisked each ninja, stopping only when he found their scroll, which happened to be an Earth scroll. He held it up, and met Sasuke's eyes. The Uchiha smirked in return. One less team able to make it to the tower. Then, the trio of Genin hurriedly left the scene, not wanting to linger any longer. In addition, they all needed to rest.

About an hour's trek later, when the sun had begun to set, the team had found a suitable clearing to rest in. a few minutes after they halted, they were safely ensconced in the clearing, eating ninja rations in silence. Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other, silently communicating. There was no way they were letting Sakura take the watch duty. But which one of them would do it? They were both tired from the skirmish with the Iwa ninja. Naruto's mind whirled. He was rather tired, but that was about it. He hadn't used much chakra, and he had done longer and harder missions then this as Akuma Hiai. And, if it came down to it, he would have to discard all pretences and actually show how strong he was. On the other hand, Sasuke had been using chakra in the fight, along with his Sharingan, which had been activated almost the entire day. He was also tired. Naruto shrugged, and got up, walking to the perimeter of the clearing, slipping from view as he disguised himself in the shadows. Wordlessly, Sasuke signed to Sakura to tidy up the clearing, and the other two Genin lay unceremoniously on the ground at different spots of the clearing. Sasuke would relieve Naruto in 3 hours' time.

* * *

Naruto was awoken from his slumber by a slight touch on his shoulder. For a few seconds, his mind struggled to place the time and place, and then he remembered. They were at the Chuunin exams, in the Forest of Death. Blearily, he opened his cerulean eyes and looked up at Sasuke.

"Time to go, dobe. I've already woken Sakura." Naruto murmured an unintelligible response and began to get up, feeling Sasuke's eyes on his slowly moving form. He suppressed a gusty sigh. Ever since his secret had been revealed by the Iwa shinobi, there had been a pregnant silence between the Genin trio. Obviously, Sasuke and Sakura had no idea of how to treat their teammate, that same teammate that hey had ridiculed and slandered for being a 'dobe' and a 'worthless nobody;' that very same teammate that they had just discovered was a Namikaze a few hours ago and therefore more prestigious and worthy of praise and admiration then they would ever be.

Naruto shouldered his backpack and strode over to the edge of the clearing, to where Sakura stood, Sasuke trailing behind him. The pink-haired kunoichi stared dumbly at her approaching teammates, her eyes riveted on the Namikaze blonde. When he was only a few feet away, she blurted out,

"Are you really a Namikaze?" Naruto gave her a strange look, but answered.

"Hai." Her eyes grew bigger, and even Sasuke was surprised. To hear it as an accusation was one thing, but freely admitting it was entirely different. The three Genin moved in silence, quickly leaving the clearing, Sakura still extremely silent.

Team Kakashi travelled for a few hours unnoticed and unhindered through the forest. Based on Sasuke's Sharingan eyes and Naruto's Kyuubi-enhanced senses, if they contined to move at their current speed, then they would reach the tower at the end of the day. Naruto glanced at Sasuke and Sakura as they flew through the trees, wondering how their team would change now that they knew he was a Namikaze. He smirked to himself. _As long as Sakura keeps fawning over Sasuke and not me, I'll be fine,_ he thought. As Akuma Hiha, he had developed a _very_ healthy dislike of fangirls. Then he sniffed. There was that scent of snakes again…. At the same time, Sasuke began to slow down.

"Kusa ninja up ahead," he said quietly. "The female that challenged Anko." The two boys immediately began changing course to avoid the ninja. But it was too late. A cry from behind alerted them of Sakura's plight, and they turned to see one of the Kusa kunoichi's teammates holding Sakura captive, kunai to her throat. His teammate was already advancing. Naruto and Sasuke slipped into fighting stances, and prepared to attack or defend, Sasuke to the advancing teammate, and Naruto to Sakura's captor.

"Fuiton: Kaze Kamisori!"

"Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!" yelled Naruto and Sasuke almost simultaneously. A strong wind whipped up around Naruto moving quickly to his opponent, who screamed in agony as the jutsu, targeted at his back so as not to harm Sakura, tore ravenously away at his clothing and vulnerable skin beneath it. Across from him, his teammate echoed his screams of tortured pain as he was reduced a mass of raw, blistering flesh by the huge fireball that Sasuke emitted via his mouth. Again, Sakura stood dumbstruck as her male teammates demolished their opposition. The two Genin stood triumphantly over their unconscious foes. They weren't dead; far from it, but they would need time to recover.

"Hn. They underestimated us," said Sasuke, a note of pride underlying his surly tone. Naruto opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly stiffened, sniffing the air discreetly. Then he became a blur of motion. The Namikaze hastily pulled his two teammates behind him as he virtually ran for the cover of some nearby foliage. Once behind it, he put his hands together in a series of signs and said quickly,

"Genjutsu: Chuuwa no Jutsu!" Just as Sarutobi had done to him, his teammates' bodies began to change, shimmering oddly as they, along with himself, blended flawlessly into the foliage around them. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. Only Sarutobi could find them now; not even the Sharingan and Byakugan could penetrate this particular Genjutsu. They were safe, and not a moment too soon, either, as the bushes parted and the strangely reptilian kunoichi came through. Naruto shuddered as the woman stood in the clearing, her strangely amber-colored eyes darting about, searching for them. Then suddenly, a long, lithe tongue unfurled itself from her mouth, and flicked around a few centimeters from her nose, exactly like a snake tasting the air. The woman frowned, and began to morph. Her facial skin began to sag and warp as if being pulled by an invisible force, tearing off in long, sickly white strips, until her entire body was gone; to be replaced instead by a similarly reptilian shinobi with strange purple markings on his nosebridge, and long, lank black hair.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are, Sasuke-kun," he said, a sibilant hiss lacing his voice. Orochimaru. Naruto shivered. Yes, he was Akuma Hiai, and yes, he had killed before, but there was - _something - _ about this particular shinobi that creeped him out. He didn't understand it, and neither did Kyuubi, and he had developed a healthy fear/wariness of issues Kyuubi did not understand. It was logical; if a thousand-year old demon couldn't understand or explain something, wasn't that an excellent reason to be wary of it? A thousand years of knowledge and experience was no small amount. The three Genin watched with bated breath as the snake-like man prowled around the clearing a few more times, his tongue slithering in and out between his thin, colourless lips as he tried to figure out why he could taste their scent in the sir, but not pinpoint their location. Then suddenly, he flung a kunai into a nearby bush, quickly drawing a few more and sending them flying into the other pieces of foliage surrounding the clearing. The kunai he flung at their bush barely missed Sakura's head as Naruto and Sasuke simultaneously pulled her down as hard as they could. Orochimaru tried one last time, scowling in frustration as he failed to find them.

"I must have you, Sasuke-kun," he muttered to himself as he passed them, "Your Sharingans are _mine._ Kukukukuku….." The Genin shuddered again, and collectively exhaled in relief as the shinobi left the clearing.

"That was Orochimaru," murmured Sasuke, after a few seconds of silence.

"Yeah," replied Naruto, just as quietly. "I'm just glad he didn't find us." The team shared an expressive look between them. Naruto was right; they were in no shape to challenge someone like Orochimaru, even if they were at full strength, which they certainly were not. Sasuke was suffering from mild chakra depletion, as he had had his Sharingan activated for a while now, and had just used a large amount of chakra to power his Katon jutsu. In addition, the few hours of rest they had gotten were not nearly enough to really rejuvenate the team. Sakura was also suffering from slight chakra exhaustion, having had to heal both herself and Sasuke where the Iwa shinobi had caught them unawares with a kunai, along with fatigue at the unaccustomed exercise. Yes, she trained, but not as rigorously or frequently as she should have. Naruto was the only one virtually unscathed. He looked around at his teammates.

"We should get to the tower quickly," he commented. "We're halfway there." The Namikaze dispelled the jutsu and the trio set off again.

Their journey to the tower was uneventful until they were a few hours away, when Naruto attempted to execute a jutsu he had been practicing. The Namikaze doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. Turning away from his teammates, Naruto lifted his shirt to inspect the seal, as if seemed to be coming from that particular area. An odd sight met his eyes. A different seal had been imposed over his original seal. He stifled a groan as he recognized the new seal. The Five-Pronged Seal. Doubling over again as a wave of pain moved through his body via his stomach, he attempted to think through the pain. Obviously the five-pronged seal was reacting badly to the updated containment seal on his body. He sighed. There was nothing he could do about it, since he wasn't quite sure how to remove it without damaging the other, older seal, except to refrain from molding chakra and try to get to Sarutobi as quickly as possible. Gritting his teeth against the waves of pain coursing through him, he got up from the ground and beckoned to the puzzled Sakura and Sasuke to continue, taking up his customary position at the rear. They had to get there quickly.

* * *

Team 7 walked into a random room at the base of the tower, breathing in a unanimous sigh of relief. _That _part was over, and they were safe from Orochimaru. At least for now, anyway. Naruto's small smile turned into a grimace, however, as a few sharp frissons of pain lanced through his body. He watched as Sasuke opened the scrolls and Iruka was summoned, brightening at the sight of Iruka despite the agony he felt.

"Iruka," he said weakly. "Get Sarutobi-jiisan here, please. Tell him it's urgent. Someone put a seal on me, and now I can't use chakra." Iruka's brows furrowed, and he Shunshined away. Naruto looked at his teammates.

"You guys go ahead," he said. "I'll be right behind you, as soon as Sarutobi takes off this seal." Sasuke looked at his blonde teammate, hesitating slightly, his onyx eyes unreadable. Then he spoke.

"The only possible time someone could've put that seal on you was when you were in that Taijutsu battle with the Iwa shinobi. So how did it take so long to set in; I mean, you _did_ use a jutsu after that…" Naruto frowned. Sasuke was right.

"I don't know, Sasuke," he answered. "The only thing I can think of is that it was a delayed seal. To close all of my tenketsus would have taken a while, so maybe that was why I could use a jutsu immediately after, but not after more than maybe 20 minutes." Sasuke nodded, and looked as though he wanted to say something, but Sakura tugged on his arm, Naruto already forgotten in lieu of having 'Sasuke-kun' all to herself. With an almost inaudible sigh, the Uchiha turned away and followed his annoying pink-haired teammate away from the room.

Naruto's eyes closed in pain as another wave of pain traced his insides. Maybe he could talk to Kyuubi to pass the time…. He decided to call on the kitsune demon in his body.

'_Kyuubi…. Are you there? I haven't heard a peep from you…'_ Nothing. The Namikaze's eyes shot open, despite the pain, and he frowned. The seal…it was obviously affecting more than just his ability to mold chakra.

_That Iwa shinobi was no Genin and if so, definitely no normal Genin,_ he surmised. _Probably a seal master, like what I am currently aiming for._ A 'pop' sounded next to him, and he turned to see Kakashi, his face – or what was visible of it – creased in worry.

"Naruto, Sasuke told me you were hurt. Sarutobi will soon be here, the ANBU are securing the room. Do you know what it is?" Naruto gazed contemplatively at the Jounin.

_He's not pretending,_ the Genin realized with a jolt. Kakashi cared. _I guess I should give him another chance._ With these thoughts in mind, he answered his sensei.

"It's…the…seal…reacting badly….with…the other seal…Iwa shinobi put…" he gasped out between vicious frissons of agony. Another voice chimed in.

"Let's see it, Naruto." The kind face of the Sandaime Hokage came into Naruto's field of vision. "I'm no seal master, but a seal that could be slapped on so quickly shouldn't be too difficult to remove."

Crouching down at Naruto's side, Sarutobi inspected the newer seal, murmuring occasionally to himself. Then he drew out a charcoal stick and began drawing a diagram, originating from the new five-pronged seal and spreading out for a few feet around Naruto's prone body. The Hokage moved to the edge, surveying it quickly, but thoroughly, and then, focusing chakra to his open palm, slammed it with medium force down on the five-pronged seal on Naruto's stomach. His surrogate grandson jerked harshly as the seal was ripped away by Sarutobi's chakra, a guttural cry of pain escapinghim. It didn't take long; almost as soon as the cry left his lips, the excrutiating pain disappeared, leaving behind aching, cramping muscles and gingling nerve ends. The Genin lay still for a few minutes, recovering, and then sat up shakily, meeting the Hokage's worried eyes.

"I'll be fine, jii-san," he said reassuringly to the older shinobi, even as he called out to Kyuubi,

'_Okay, Kyuubi?' _Sarutobi nodded, and Kakashi came forward, helping Naruto off of the ground. Kyuubi answered just as Naruto managed to stand weakly.

"**Yeah…what was that? There was so much pain from the seal…and I couldn't contact you, or hear you." **Naruto began to put one foot in front of the other tentatively, one arm slung about Kakashi's shoulders.

'_It __**was**__ the seal. Some Iwa shinobi had slapped a five-pronged seal on top on the containment seal, and it reacted pretty badly.'_ Kyuubi snorted in disdain.

"**Pretty badly is a gross understatement."**

The demon and host conversed back and forth as Kakashi aided Naruto down the corridor to the set of rooms where the Genin who had already arrived could rest.

"Hokage-sama ordered me to make you rest," said Kakashi, as he helped Naruto into the room and onto the bed. "I know you don't like being sick or hospitals, but you heal bery fast, so if you rest for a few hours you should be alright." Naruto grinned weakly.

"I'd better be. I don't think I could spend a whole day in bed. I still hate being sick or hospitals, with a passion. Anyway, I should be fine in a few hours, like you said." Shifting to a comfortable position, he laid his blonde head on the pillow, and tried to say something else, but his body had had enough, and he succumbed to the pull of Morpheus' arms.

* * *

The sun was setting in a blaze of dusky reds, oranges and fuchsias and the occasional fuzzy stripe of grey when Naruto awoke from a deep, healing sleep. Rolling over and stretching experimentally, testing to find if there were any lingering vestiges of pain or stiffness, the blonde yawned in a strangely fox-like manner. A smile passed over his face as he discovered that his body was completely back to normal, and in one quick, fluid motion, the Genin was off of the bed. Pulling on his shoes and hitai-ate, Naruto silently left the room. He couldn't stay in there any longer; and besides, he wanted to see which teams had already come in. he knew that there would be at the very most twelve teams instead of thirteen, since they had taken 2 Earth scrolls, therefore depriving a team of their chance to continue. A voice broke into his thoughts.

"**Hunh. You just want to see one particular team and its female member."**

'_Yurusei, Kyuubi,'_ replied Naruto heatedly, feeling his ears beginning to warm. The demon snickered, but heeded his host's command, and Naruto continued to walk down the hallway, searching for the rest of his team.

After 25 minutes of searching through what felt like hundreds of empty corridors and room, Naruto was ready to blow up something just to attract attention so he didn't have to see anymore empty rooms.

_Jeez…how big is this place anyway?_ he grumped to himself. He suddenly halted. _Was that a __**sigh**__?_ He was sure he had heard someone sighing. The Jinchuuriki listened keenly for the sound to repeat itself. There it was again! Scanning his surroundings, he noticed that one of the doors leading from the corridor was ajar. Stealthily, Naruto crept over to the partially opened door and peeked inside, just as the sigh came again. It was a girl; her white-blonde hair cascading down her back gleamed in the sunlight as she sat by the window. As he watched her, she shifted, and Naruto caught a glimpse of familiar features. His face broke out in a smile. He had found Ino.

Opening the door further, he slipped inside the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Ino turned to see him, unsurprised. Raising an eyebrow at her unsurprised face, he walked over to her. The other blonde looked at him and spoke.

"I saw your reflection in the window after you opened the door." Her voice was soft. Naruto gazed at her calmly, realizing that she was nervous.

"You're a really good kunoichi, Ino-chan. There's no need to be nervous." Ino's sky-blue eyes widened in surprise.

"How did – " She shook her head. "Never mind." The kunoichi smiled softly at the boy beside her. That was a stupid question. Naruto always seemed to know how she felt about something, or what she was thinking. Ino turned away, staring out the window. She _knew_ she was good, but she was still nervous. There were other kunoichi out there way better. The Yamanaka looked at the shinobi beside her. Sky-blue met cerulean, and they shared a smile.

"Still nervous?" asked Naruto. Ino nodded slowly.

"A bit." He smiled and scooted closer, putting an arm around her. Tilting up her face with his other hand, he gazed at her, reveling in her beauty.

"Look at me, Ino-chan." She complied. "It's okay to be a bit nervous, everyone is. Even me. The others are nervous too, and the visiting ninja are just as nervous. It's natural. But don't let it consume you and hinder you from performing to the best of your ability, or you will lose. You can't have come this far, to drop out now, when you're more than capable of becoming a Chuunin. Okay?" The kunoichi nodded, meeting his eyes again. _Naruto…._ she thought fondly. They hadn't looked away from each other yet, and his hand was still on her face. Ino raised a hand and stroked his cheek, gazing into his beautiful cerulean eyes. Their faces drew closer, as if attracted by an invisible force; until their lips touched gently.

Ino was in heaven. She was kissing Naruto! Her hands left his face and linked themselves behind his head, even as his encircled her waist, drawing her closer. This was what she had been waiting for. The gentle kiss deepened, and then lessened in intensity, just before Naruto drew away, smiling. His eyes were shining as he looked at her.

"I've been dreaming of that for so long," Ino told Naruto, beaming as she said so. Naruto grinned.

"Me too. I just didn't know how to find the right time before." He paused, still smiling.

"Aishiteru, Ino-chan."

"Aishiteru, Naruto-kun." Nothing else was said. They didn't need words. The two Genin sat quietly for some time, basking in the presence of the other. Then Ino spoke.

"When are you going to tell others about your true name?" Her voice was devoid of any malice, accusation or unhappiness. Her new boyfriend jerked slightly in surprise.

"How did you know?" he asked in shock. "Inoichi-san couldn't have told you. Don't get me wrong, I was going to tell you, now actually." Ino looked sheepish.

"Well…I eavesdropped. Chichi was telling Okaa-san about the council meeting. Are you really a Namikaze?" Naruto smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. Minato was my dad. I've been living at the Namikaze compound; I'll show you sometime." Ino grinned eagerly.

"I can't wait to see it!" she exclaimed. Naruto grew sober.

"You know you'll have to keep it a secret until the reveal later today, right?" The Yamanaka's face grew serious, and she nodded.

"Hai."

"Good," Naruto replied, "Because the Iwa hate all Namikazes since Yondaime, aka my dad, took out an entire field in a few minutes with Hiraishin. I've already been attacked twice. Remember 'Yuki?'" Eyes wide, Ino murmured affirmation.

"He was an Iwa Jounin in disguise. And today, the Iwa team attacked us in the forest. We beat them, of course." Ino smiled reluctantly.

"Just be careful, Naruto-kun. When you left, there was the small hope you would return. But if you die, you can't return, and we all need you." Naruto smiled reassuringly at her.

"I promise. Now let's get something to eat!"

* * *

There it is! Remember to give me your opinions!

peace out,

szayelchick


	13. Chuunin Exams: Namikaze Revealed

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

Key: "Normal person speaking."

_Normal person thinking._

'_Naruto talking to Kyuubi.'_

"**Kyuubi talking to Naruto."**

* * *

Chuunin Exams: Namikaze Revealed

Naruto released a gusty breath as he straightened fluidly, gazing idly around him. He had just completed a series of warm-up stretches to loosen his muscles for the upcoming exam. It was the morning of the preliminaries, and the day he would publicly become a Namikaze. He was understandably excited.

"Naruto-kun!" came a voice from behind him. "We have to go to the exam room!" It was Ino, his new _girlfriend._ Their relationship, while still very new, was extremely comfortable and easy, as they had been quite close anyway before their relationship morphed. The only thing different was their embraces. The Namikaze turned to the other blonde.

"Coming, Ino-chan!" Moving quickly, he crossed the grass and came to her side, smiling affectionately at her. The two Genin walked inside the building, where their teams awaited them.

"Good luck, Ino-chan," said Naruto, smiling, before he turned and joined Sasuke and Sakura. The Jounin were already in the room. The team exchanged looks, and then entered the room, hearts pounding in nervousness and anticipation.

The room was huge; it was more like an indoor arena than anything else. There were stairs on the wall opposite the entrance door that led to the participants' gallery, which spanned one entire wall. Above the entrance door was a large window-looking contraption, and on that same side of the room were the seats for the Kages and their village delegates. They were already seated; having entered while the Genin made their way to the room. The rest of the room was a large arena, with two doors in one wall for the healers to exit and enter. Naruto looked around, suppressing his burgeoning excitement. All teams from Konoha were there; the Iwa team they had beat up were there somehow, Team Dosu, the teams from Otogakure, Kabuto's team, the Suna team with the Jinchuuriki, and one of the teams from Kirigakure. No one from Kusagakure had made it. As Naruto scanned the Genin, Gaara turned, and their eyes met. The Namikaze suppressed a shudder at the sight of the other Jinchuuriki's deadened, dull eyes. The only emotion the Jinchuuriki emitted was pure, unadulterated _murder_. Then he looked away, and Naruto turned back to face the exam proctor. He looked familiar…

"Konnichiwa, Genin, watashi wa Hayate Gekko, and I am your proctor for today's exam. You have successfully completed the second stage; however you must take part in today's preliminaries to continue any further. These preliminaries are to lessen your numbers, since almost twice as many expected here passed. You will be matched up against each other in a fight that will last until someone concedes defeat or is unable to continue fighting. Now, is there anyone unable to continue for any reason?" Not a sound was made, as the group of Genin waited tensely to see if anyone would drop out. A few seconds passed in silence, and then Kabuto stepped forward.

"I forfeit." The proctor nodded curtly in acknowledgement, and the silver-haired Oto Genin turned and began to walk away. Naruto regarded him in suspicion. Something was up. First, those shady information cards, then the amount of times he retook the exam, so many people smelling like Orochimaru, Kabuto himself included, and now the other Genin was forfeiting when there was nothing physically wrong with him? Yes, something was definitely going on. Then, suddenly, two ANBU appeared and stopped Kabuto.

"Come quietly," ordered one of them. "You are being arrested for treason." The Oto Genin glanced around the room quickly for a possible escape route, obviously not expecting the arrest, but there was none. Besides, the ANBU had already shackled him with chakra-suppressing cuffs. As the two ANBU escorted Kabuto out, another appeared, bowing before the Kages and delegates.

"Forgive the interruption, Hokage-sama." The Hokage nodded, and waved his hand in dismissal. The ANBU Shunshined away and the proctor turned back to the Genin.

"Anyone else?" The Genin murmured negatives. "All right, you may go to the balcony to await your respective matches." As they walked away, the screen above the Kages lit up and began scrolling through names. It took a few minutes for the machine to come up with a pairing, but it eventually slowed to a halt and displayed two names.

"Uchiha Sasuke, Konoha, and Akado Yoroi, Oto." called the proctor.

Smirking in anticipation of a good fight, Sasuke made his way down the stairs.

"Good luck, Sasuke-kun!" cried Sakura shrilly. He paid no attention to her. Naruto and Ino exchanged a speaking glance, and then turned back to face the arena. Yoroi had already reached the center, and cracked his knuckles menacingly as Sasuke approached, blood-red Sharingans spinning dizzyingly.

"Ready to lose, Konoha weakling?" asked Akado smirking unpleasantly. Sasuke gave no answer, just returned the smirk. The two Genin slipped into fighting stances as the proctor began to step back. When he was completely out of the fighting range, he abruptly stuck out his hand and said sharply,

"Hajime!" The Uchiha sprang forward like a panther, shifting into a graceful, yet deadly Taijutsu style – most probably the Uchiha clan's Taijutsu technique. The two Genin exchanged quick, brutal blows as they danced around each other. It was quickly becoming a stalemate, as the opponents tried to feel each other out; neither willing to give an inch. Then Yoroi seemed to come to an abrupt decision. His Taijutsu style suddenly changed from defensive to a straight-out, harshly offensive form. Slightly disoriented from the sudden change, Sasuke was caught off-guard for a moment. It was, however, just enough of a moment for Yoroi to launch his true attack. Yoroi grasped Sasuke's neck in one hand, his forehead in the other, and slammed him to the floor. The majority of the watchers winced in sympathy at the sound of the impact.

"Chakura Kyouin Jutsu!"

Sasuke's body twitched involuntarily as Yoroi began to absorb his chakra via his special absorption technique. The Uchiha's onyx eyes widened as he realized his crucial position. He had to stop his opponent, now! If he didn't, the match would be over. He relaxed unexpectedly; surprising Yoroi, then suddenly threw a fist into the Oto ninja's face. It was time to get _real_. Sasuke threw himself into another Uchiha Taijutsu style; this one was more aggressive than the last; borderline animalistic. However, the Uchiha elegance was still present. He liked to think of this particular style as an attacking panther; dangerous, and feral, but still graceful and self-possessed. As an Uchiha should be.

The other ninja never stood a chance after Sasuke's shift in Taijutsu styles. Just as he had momentarily shaken Sasuke only minutes before, he had been surprised by the Uchiha. He had been sure that Sasuke had not had enough chakra to fight anymore when the tension had left his body. Obviously, the Uchiha had larger reserves than normal – other ninjas would have succumbed long ago.

_Damn strong Konohagakure shinobi…._ was Yoroi's last thought as Sasuke hammered him mercilessly, and yielding to the darkness tugging at the edges of his consciousness.

Sasuke stood tall amidst the applause of his peers and the dignitaries as he looked disdainfully down at his fallen opponent. A smirk covered his thin lips, as he panted slightly. Damn….that Oto shinobi took more chakra than he thought. Hayate Gekko stepped forward, his face inscrutable.

"Winner: Uchiha Sasuke! You may leave the arena, Uchiha-san." The Genin inclined his head silently and positively _swaggered_ off to the balcony, despite his obvious exhaustion. A shriek was heard, and heads turned as Sakura raced down the stairs to meet Sasuke halfway and help him up the stairs.

"Sasuke-kun! You were wonderful out there! You're so strong!" she gushed, ever sycophantic. The object of her slavish worship simply glared dismissively at her, and then shrugging her hand off of his arm, continued up the stairs to the balcony. Meanwhile, the machine had begun cycling through names once more. As Sasuke reached the top, he smirked at Naruto.

"Make sure you win your match, _dobe_. I want to fight you." Kakashi and Sakura both turned to watch Naruto's reaction. The secret Namikaze simply raised a blonde eyebrow, returning the smirk, and then returned his attention to the arena. Kakashi's gaze lingered on Naruto. His student was such an enigma…. He felt as if he hadn't even begun to scratch the surface of who Naruto truly was. _Naruto….who are you really?_ he wondered morosely. Then he was jerked out of his musings by Hayate's voice.

"The next match is: Abumi Zaku, Oto and Aburame Shino, Konoha!" The spectators applauded politely as the two Genin descended from the balcony to the arena. Zaku's face wore an annoyingly cocky smirk as he stepped into place across from the ever-stoic Shino. Backing away from his position in between the two Genin, Gekko raised his hand, and then brought it down abruptly.

"Hajime!"

Zaku attacked instantly.

"Zankuha!" The air between the Genin rippled strangely and struck a stationary Shino right in the chest. A victorious smirk flickered on Zaku's face as Shino's body simply began to disintegrate into thousands of kikai bugs.

"Behind you." came Shino's lackluster tones. The Oto ninja spun, ready to counter an attack. But there was no one in sight.

"Over here." came the Aburame's voice again. Zaku spun even faster than before, and came face to face with the emotionless shinobi. Swearing, he drew his arms into position for another attack, but Shino's voice stopped him.

"You might not want to do that, Abumi-san," cautioned the kikai-user tonelessly. "The results would not be pleasant." Zaku threw him a contemptuous look.

"You think you can frighten me into surrendering the fight, Konoha scum?" he asked incredulously. "I know all those dirty tricks. You didn't do nothing." Shino shrugged.

"I warned you." Zaku's features twisted as he sneered at his opponent.

"Zanku- AHHHH!" The Oto ninja fell writhing to the ground at Shino's feet, screaming for all he was worth and hugging his arms to himself.

"…..I told you," said Shino. "While you were looking for me, I made my bugs go into your tubes and fill them so that little to no air or chakra could go through them. You've probably ruptured them at the very least, or popped them out of your skin." Zaku's eyes shot daggers of utmost hatred at Shino as he writhed on the ground. Shino simply looked at him, emotionless.

As the medic nin carried the pain-wracked Zaku away from the arena, Hayate Gekko stepped forward.

"Winner: Aburame Shino! You may leave the arena, Aburame-san." The stoic boy turned silently and returned to the balcony, ignoring the curious and slightly fearful looks from the other Genin gathered there. His lack of reaction soon made the other Genin lose interest in him, and everyone turned back to the machine, which had already begun cycling through the remaining names. Within a few minutes, it slowed to a halt, and Gekko called out the names.

"Subaku no Kankuro, Suna and Hoshigan Kagetsu, Kiri!" As was quickly becoming the status quo, the two Genin silently, quickly descended the stairs from the balcony and assumed their appropriate positions at either side of the proctor in the centre of the arena. Kankuro had a slightly malicious look on his face as he stared down the Kiri shinobi. Said shinobi returned the stare, sneering slightly.

Ino looked over at the rest of the Suna team, and then turned to Shikamaru.

"Do Suna nin mainly use Doton and Fuiton jutsu, like how Konoha mainly use Katon? Because if so Kankuro is at a distinct disadvantage." The lazy Nara shrugged, and looked over at the strange team. As he did so, he locked eyes with the blonde kunoichi, who, it seemed, had been listening into their conversation. He was going to give Ino a positive answer, but then a mysterious smirk spread over the Suna blonde's lips, and he knew she had overheard them and that they were wrong in their assumptions. Kankuro probably had something up his sleeve. Shikamaru turned back to the two figures down in the arena, eyes narrowed in contemplation. Did his secret have anything to do with that wrapped bundle on his back? The Genin mused over the possibilities for a few moments, and then dismissed his thoughts. He would probably find out soon anyway… They were about to start.

Hayate Gekko stepped back and swung his arm down sharply.

"Hajime!" instantly, the Kiri ninja put his hands together in a 'Saru' handseal, and called out,

"Kirigakure no Jutsu!" Mist began to form in the arena, thickening quickly and hindering visibility until the spectators could only just see the two Genin as fleeting, dark, blurred shapes. Then they heard the 'clang' of a kunai, and saw two figures engaged in a Taijutsu battle. The battle continued for a few minute, until suddenly a third figure appeared behind the figure on the right. The new opponent struck out with unparalleled viciousness, eliciting a pained cry from its victim. The injured figure slumped slowly to the ground, and the original opponent cancelled the mist technique, enabling the spectators to see the outcome of the battle. When the mist cleared, the mysteries of the bundle on Kankuro's back and the emergence of a third opponent in a two-person match became clear. Kankuro was a puppeteer. He had substituted his puppet for himself at the very beginning of the match, replacing himself in the bundle at the back. Then he had the puppet fight Hoshigan while he paralyzed by the strong poison on the puppet's blade. When the paralysis set in, Kankuro seized his chance and snuck up behind the Kiri shinobi knocking him out with a vicious, well-placed blow to the back of his head. He had won with nothing more than a superficial wound, caused by a stray senbon needle originally aimed for his puppet. Hayate Gekko stepped forward.

"Winner: Kankuro!" With a shit-eating grin on his face, the Suna shinobi exited the arena to healthy applause behind a medic ninja to get his wound attended to. The unconscious, paralyzed form of Hoshigan Kagetsu was toted away by two medic nin on a pristine white stretcher.

The machine began displaying names randomly again in its two windows, drawing the spectators' attention back to the arena. After a short moment, it halted, and displayed two names. Hayate Gekko stepped forward.

"Yamanaka Ino Konoha, and Haruno Sakura, Konoha!" Jaws dropped around the balcony, including the two kunoichi themselves. The duo had been at odds ever since their first days at the academy, and it seemed that their rivalry would be acknowledged, however coincidentally, even at the Chuunin exams. Sakura shot Ino a heated glare as she descended, but the blonde ignored her in favour of receiving an encouraging smile from her new boyfriend and verbal support from her teammates. A few seconds later, she was hastening down the balcony stairs to the arena, which Sakura had almost reached.

The two kunoichi faced each other in the centre of the large arena, one with the most hateful glare she could muster, and the other with a calm, cool gaze of steely determination. Hayate Gekko took a few steps backward, removing himself from in between the Genin opponents, and then brought his arm down sharply, saying curtly,

"Hajime!"

The two girls circled each other like birds of prey, each waiting for the other to deal the first strike. This continued for a few seconds until Sakura grew impatient. She needed to beat Ino now! Springing forward, she shifted into an offensive Taijutu stance and attacked her former best friend. Ino's blue eyes narrowed as Sakura charged forward, and she agilely avoided the attempt by executing a few back-flips, releasing a few senbon at Sakura with a minute flick of her wrist each time her hands touched the ground. The Team 7 kunoichi's eyes widened in surprise at the first volley of sharp, deadly needles, and quickly flung herself out of the way of the attack, also managing to narrowly avoid the second. However, she was unable to completely dodge the third volley senbon, and she cried out in pain as a few of the weapons hit home in her arm. Ino smirked as she righted herself. The dangerous thing about senbon needles was that they depended on accuracy and force. So a deceptively weak-looking flick of the wrist to release a few senbon could be the last thing your target would see, based on the accuracy. This was what Sakura had forgotten. The senbon needles were embedded several centimeters into her flesh. Crimson blood stripped down her arm slowly, but surely. Grimacing, the Haruno took hold of the four senbon in her arm and as gently and smoothly as possible, pulled them out, slipping into yet another Taijutsu stance, she attacked again, this time with even more fervor and ferocity. Ino simply countered, and the two kunoichi 'danced' around the arena. But, something was wrong. Sakura's movements were getting more sluggish with every move she made. Ino looked at her shrewdly. It was working; now was her chance.

"Shintenshin no Jutsu!"

Sakura's body jerked, and Ino's fell limply to the ground. The Konoha spectators smiled grimly. They already knew who would win. An attack to the mind was virtually indefensible. For a few seconds, there was absolutely no movement in the arena, then 'Sakura' stiffly turned to Hayate Gekko and said solemnly,

"I forfeit."

Then Sakura's body jerked spastically and fell limply to the ground as Ino's mind released control of it. Not far away, Ino's own motionless body gave a strong spasm as she re-entered it. Ino got to her feet and waited for Hayate's verdict on the match. Sakura's body remained inert, even though she was fully conscious; the paralysis had taken full toll and she was totally incapable of voluntary movements. Only her lime-green eyes moved, as she glared at her victor. Hayate Gekko stepped forward.

"Winner: Yamanaka Ino!"

A rousing bout of applause began and lasted until Ino had settled herself at her original position on the balcony. Meanwhile, medic nin toted Sakura's paralyzed body away for treatment.

As the clapping died away, the machine began cycling through the remaining Genin names, stopping on two after a few moments. Glancing at the luminescent screen, the proctor stepped forward to announce the next match.

"Tenten, Konoha and Subaku no Temari, Suna!" The spectators watched as the second consecutive pair of kunoichi descended from the balcony to the centre of the arena.

The Suna kunoichi had the same self-assured smirk on her face as her sibling, Kankuro had at the beginning of his own match. She coolly surveyed her opponent, obviously sizing her up. When the kunoichi's smirk widened, it was evident that she had deemed Tenten of not much consequence. Tenten herself was gazing back at the smirking Temari with an earnest, determined look on her face. Both of her hands were almost touching her pant legs, and all of the Konoha nin knew that that particular stance meant that the weapons mistress was going to whip out either a pair of senbon or kunai from her double weapons pouches, and release them at their opponent with her usual 100% accuracy. Naruto, however, looked back to Temari and frowned. He didn't think that Tenten's accuracy would help her all that much during this match somehow. But…they would see.

"Hajime!" declared Gekko Hayate, bringing his arm down in the now very-familiar action. Just as the Konoha ninjas had predicted. Tenten, moving at a lightning-fast pace, whipped out two kunai and launched them at Temari. Said Suna kunoichi smirked, even as the kunai continued to fly across the arena. Then, in the blink of an eye and a few incredibly speedy movements, she had procured the folded metal fan from her back, unfurled it, and blew the kunai away with nothing more than a twitch of the wrist. Tenten's determined, focused expression faltered slightly, but she steadied herself, and slipped into a Taijutsu stance. Since long-range attacks were obviously out of the question, close attacks were almost mandatory. The Konoha kunoichi braced her left foot against the arena wall, and then used it as leverage and took off running, throwing kunai randomly around the arena as she went. Some she threw viciously in the ground, others in various places in the stone walls. As she approached, Temari's smirk turned into a full-fledged grin, and she called out,

"You sure you want to do this, Konoha kunoichi?" Naruto looked at the other Genin on the balcony. Most people's faces showed agreement with Temari's statement. But, Naruto knew better. Tenten was up to something. She _never, ever_ threw her weapons carelessly. Besides, he had noticed that she was running with ther fingers splayed, and that she had thrown exactly ten kunai. She had even gotten two behind Temari. The Suna kunoichi brandished her fan again.

"You're committing suicide," she commented idly.

Tenten made no answer, but her face subtly shifted to one of acknowledgement, and everyone on the balcony had some idea as to what she was going to do. Sometimes you had to sacrifice something in order to get the desired object or outcome. Tenten was mere feet away from Temari now, and without waiting any further, the Suna Genin flicked her fan at the same moment that Tenten put on an extra burst of speed. The resulting display of Taijutsu skills was amazing. Tenten had managed to reach within arm's distance of Temari via the burst of speed when the other kunoichi flicked her fan. Instead of letting it blow her away helplessly, Tenten did a back flip in the air, using the briefest of touches of her foot against the flat of the fan, and the augmented breeze as extra support. The Konoha kunoichi flew throught the air, buoyed by Temari's winde, directly towards the adjacent wall. Ino gasped in anticipation of the painful collision, but she needn't have. Tenten's feet touched the wall and…_stuck_ there. Naruto grinned. Tenten was going all out – if she didn't, Temari would defeat her with no more than a casual flick of her huge metal fan. As she hung on the wall by her feet, Tenten made a slight jerking motion with her hands, and suddenly there were ten airborne kunai flying around the arena. Almost immediately, Temari let out a pained cry, and the spectators swiveled their heads as one, to find out the cause of her cry. It was obvious. A kunai had sunk into her right shoulder, and a red tinge had already begun to seep through her flimsy clothing. The Suna kunoichi's face contorted in pain and anger as she gingerly removed the ninja knife from her shoulder, even as Tenten's face displayed a smile of accomplishment.

Temari growled. This stupid kunoichi had humiliated her. She would pay. Temari shook her fan slightly, ignoring the sharp frisson of pain that shot along her arm and neck.

"You have fought well, Konoha kunoichi," she said patronizingly. "But this is the end of this fight. You see this red circle on the fan? It represents the stage of my attack. There are three circles on this fan." As she spoke, she gave her wrist a strong flick, and the folds of the fan unfurled a little more, exposing a second red circle. The fan now dwarfed her feminine figure, looking just as pretty as it wielder, but with an obvious edge of danger. Temari's smirk resurfaced and she waved the fan, watching in triumph as Tenten, who by now had descended from the wall, went flying helplessly into the stone behind her, despite her best efforts. The wind was just too strong for Tenten's earlier tactics. Temari walked forward across the arena, approaching her fallen opponent. Seeing Tenten struggling to get up – the impact with the wall gave her quite serious injuries – she twitched the fan, and Tenten was again bowled over, as defenseless as a stray leaf in autumn wind. But this time, she stayed down, and Temari grinned victoriously.

"Are you giving up, then?" Tenten's eyes opened, and she glared at her opponent, one of her buns spilling haphazardly from its tie, her clothing torn to shreds from the vicious winds.

"Iie."

And then her hands twitched, and a veritable volley of throwing weapons flew at Temari: senbon, serrated-edge knives, shuriken, kunai, and even makibishi. She was just quick enough and close enough for some of them to hit Temari before she could blow them away with her fan, or at the very least, dodge them by employing Taijutsu. Temari screamed in rage, and with an even stronger wave of her fan, Tenten flew across the room, smacked her head against the wall and slumped to the ground, unconscious. Temari stood still amongst a veritable sea of fallen weapons, her fan almost completely unfurled, breathing heavily and rivulets of blood running down both her arms and her temple where senbon and kunai had struck or grazed her. Hayate Gekko stepped forward.

"Winner: Temari!" Everyone clapped in appreciation of the good fight, and a vestige of Temari's prior smirk returned as she followed the medic nin out of the room, whilst Tenten was carried out on a stretcher, bleeding profusely. Meanwhile, the machine began to cycle through the remaining Genin names, the fluorescent screen flickering randomly. Finally, it stopped and Gekko looked at it, and then stepped forward to announce the next match.

"Omizu Kaiiki, Iwa, and Hyaku Umi, Kiri!" Everyone looked around, wondering who was who. No one knew the identities of the Genin called out. Then a person stepped out of the small crowd at the far end of the balcony. He had long black hair, worn in a ponytail, and was clad entirely in black: a black mesh shirt, worn over an equally black jacket, with black shinobi pants and shinobi sandals. His nails on both his hands and feet were also painted black, and violet eyes were lined with black kohl. All in all, he made an imposing figure. The hitai-ate around his neck proclaimed a Kiri ninja, giving the spectators a face to attach to the name Hyaku Umi.

On the other end of the balcony, another Genin shinobi stepped out of the shadows, his face absolutely black, even more so, if possible, than Subaku no Gaara's. He cut just as intimidating, if not as imposing, figure as his opponent Hyaku. His Iwa hitai-ate was worn in its traditional place on the forehead, and his outfit consisted mainly of grey and dark brown. Omizu-for that was only who he could be – wore a full-body suit similar to Gaara's, except his own suit was made of a rougher, thicker material and looked more like a pair of long, loose trousers and a shirt, as it was cinched in the waist by a wide, thick brown leather belt. A brown jacket completed the ensemble, along with fingerless gloves. Strangely, his hair was a mixture of greys and whites, and his eyes were blue. The Iwa ninja walked across the balcony and past Naruto and the Konoha Genin, breaking his expressionless act to send a look of pure _hatred_ and _loathing_ at the blonde. Kiba whistled as Omizu descended the balcony.

"Maa, Naruto, what did you do to him?" Naruto smiled grimly, exposing his fangs.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you right now. Just wait and see. It'll be explained in a while; before the end of today, probably." Kiba looked at Naruto quizzically, but accept his explanation and turned back to the arena, where Hayate Gekko had just stepped back.

"Hajime!"

Immediately, Omizu whipped through a series of hand seals, before calling out,

"Doton: Gurando Ue-bu!" There was a loud rumbling noise as the floor began to crack and rocks broke above the surface in a tidal wave motions, sweeping towards Hyaku. The Kiri shinobi coolly sprang over the ineffectual, yet strong attack, managing to keep his balance on the shaking ground. In one fluid motion, he whipped out a katana from the black sheath Naruto now just realized was on his back, and advanced on Omizu, feinting and slashing viciously at him. Omizu, flipping quickly out of the way of a particularly vicious sword attack, quickly managed to create a rock shield and used it to block the volley of blows. But it soon became apparent that the rock shield was not enough, as it began to crack under Hyaku's chakra-reinforced, relentless attack, and a quick swipe nearly took off Omizu's shoulder – as it was, it did cut him quite severely. Abruptly, Omizu dropped to the ground, his arm bleeding profusely. Flashing through some hand seals, he yelled,

"Doton: Daichi Yutori!" The ground morphed yet again, this time forming high walls that the spectators could only see over because of the balcony's superior height. The two opponents were blocked in. However, this was Omizu's undoing. Hyaku's face broke out into a truly intimidating smirk, and, making a one-handed seal, he called out,

"Suiton: Joushou Mizu!" Omizu's face grew panicked as water began to well up in the rock enclosure, beginning at their ankles. The only way out was to climb up the walls by channeling chakra to the feet, but the ferocious swipes and slashes of Hyaku's katana ensured that he remained in the rock room. Omizu could only back into a corner as Hyaku steadily advanced, until finally, his back was against the wall and Hyaku's katana almost slicing his throat.

"Do you yield?" asked Hyaku, his violet kohl-ringed eyes staring intensely at Omizu.

"I yield," said Omizu sulkily, his face showing the displeasure he felt. The walls of the room dropped, and Hayate Gekko stepped forward.

"Winner: Hyaku Umi!" The Kiri swordsman walked off of the arena, scowling.

"Che… That was too easy." Naruto's face split into a large, eerily fox-like half-grin, half-smirk as he overheard the muttered comment. His fellow Konoha Genin looked at him strangely, but he ignored them in favour of speaking to Kyuubi.

'_Kyuubi, I want to fight that Kiri Genin… Imagine my kodachi clashing with his katana, and sparks flying! Man, I wish Kana-sensei was here to see it if it happened! He's just like me, you know: way stronger than the average Genin.'_ Kyuubi sighed.

"**You really miss using that kodachi, don't you?"** Naruto replied with a murmur of assent.

'_Uh huh… But if I get to beat an Kiri ninja like Hyaku, all will be well!'_ The great fox made a sound of exasperation.

"**Just go back to watching the match. I'm sure one should have almost started by now."** In reply, Naruto faded from his mindscape and back to the material world, instantly focusing on the arena, where, as Kyuubi had said, the match was just about to start.

_Hmmm… Shikamaru and Tsuchi Kin… I would say that Shikamaru could take her… but I don't know her strength._ Naruto studied the Otogakure kunoichi.

The female Genin wore her Oto hitai-ate on her forehead, using it as a sort of headband to hold back her long, dark hair. She wore a sleeveless green vest similar to the Chuunin flak jacket, and a gray and brown mottled scarf, with mottled brown and grey shinobi pants and brown sandals. On her face was that same self-assured smirk that both Temari and Kankuro had worn. She looked ready for battle. On the other hand, Shikamaru merely stood there almost lazily across from his opponent. Only the tension in his muscles gave him away, and even so, if you didn't look closely, it would be easy to miss. Shikamaru was a master of deceptive appearances, and from Tsuchi's smirk, she had already underestimated him. Naruto rested his elbows on the railing of the balcony as he settled in to watch the match. It would either be short and fairly entertaining, or long and bitter. That was how Shikamaru's strategies almost always were, and it would only be the fact that Kin could be just as good at strategizing as the lazy Nara that would keep her from unknowingly playing right into his hands and subsequent defeat. The proctor swung his arm down.

"Hajime!"

Both Shikamaru and Kin took a few steps backward, clearly uncomfortable with such a close space between them. Suddenly, Shikamaru made a hand sign and called out,

"Kagemane no Jutsu!" His shadow stretched sinuously towards Kin, who immediately jumped away as quickly as she could. As Kin backed away, she reached behind her, and in a sudden blur of motion, her hands returned to her sides, her wrists twitched forward, and three senbon needles hurtled through the air towards to stationary Shikamaru. The Nara Genin froze. Kin's solitary figure had suddenly multiplied into 8 identical figures, all throwing three senbon at him. Then he realized. _Genjutsu! _ he thought.

It was then that the kunoichi obviously realized that she had underestimated her opponent. The surprise was clear on her face as Shikamaru sprang into motion, expertly dodging the tiny, well-thrown needles. Then he jerked, and the crowd saw that she had managed to hit him twice; once in the shoulder and once in the arm. Naruto smirked. Even though she had managed to hit him, senbon wouldn't get Shikamaru that easily, what with Ino forcing him to practice with her by attacking him with the miniscule, deadly needles. The Namikaze jerked slightly as a faint ringing sound reached his and the rest of the spectators' ears. Bells?

Shikamaru frowned. Bells? Turning slightly sideways so he could survey the wall behind him and still keep a wary eye on his opponent, the lazy Nara eyed the senbon sunken halfway into the stone wall. His grey eyes narrowed as he noted the bells attacked to two of the senbon embedded into the wall. Turning back to the kunoichi, he smirked, already forming another strategy to compensate for the bells' presence.

"Bring it on, Tsuchi-san," he invited. The female Genin smirked and readied herself to throw another volley of senbon, this time forgoing the Genjutsu. In a flash, she had thrown them, and Shikamaru began to dodge, hearing the sound of bells. Out of the corner of his eye, barely in his peripheral vision, the Nara saw the kunoichi barrel forward for a Taijutsu attack, mid-dodge. _Kuso…_ he thought furiously. As he parried her relentless blows, something suddenly occurred to him. There had been no bells on the second set of senbon! He was sure of it, having sent chakra to his eyes and managed to get a better look at the end of the needles as they passed, now that he knew what to look for. Blocking a strong kick and returning it viciously, smirking as it connected painfully with Kin's knee, Shikamaru twisted quickly to survey the wall, just to make sure. His sharp eyes scanned the senbon embedded in the wall, and he nodded to himself. Yup! Of all the senbon there, only two had bells attached. So how did he hear them again when he was dodging the second volley? Was it a Genjutsu? He immediately dismissed that idea. The tell-tale distortion of his peripheral vision would've given away the Genjutsu. Just then, the bells rang again, and he tensed, eyes narrowing even further. Shikamaru stared at the girl, noticing her first and second fingers on her right hand were together, and curled slightly. Wait…. Abruptly, the Nara forward-flipped in a blur of motion in order to get closer feeling a grim sense of victory when he saw what he wanted to see. Tsuchi Kin was going down. His kunoichi opponent quickly moved out of the way as Shikamaru advanced, her back nearing the opposite wall. Then the bells rang again, and Shikamaru whipped around to look at the wall behind him, his face creased in apparent puzzlement. His hands flew up as he turned around, and Kin smirked, preparing to attack from behind. That Konoha freshie was sooo dead. But her triumphant grin soon turned into a scowl. She couldn't move!

The Oto kunoichi looked up at her opponent. _He's holding me in place!_ she thought. _But how? That shadow jutsu of his!_ The kunoichi looked down as Shikamaru looked down, and saw a thin shadow on the ground, following her string. She gaped in disbelief, blurting the first thing on her mind.

"That's impossible! The height of the string should make any shadows disappear!" Shikamaru smirked.

"It should… but that shadow is not following the string…" Looking down again to allow her to see what he meant, his smirk grew wider as he watched her reaction. Her eyes bulged slightly in disbelief as she watched the thin shadow broaden until it was obvious that his shadow was attached to her _own_ shadow and not that of the string. Shikamaru looked up, forcing Kin's head up also.

"I stretched my shadow as thin as possible and made it follow the string," he explained, smirking. The Konoha Genin took a few steps backward, smiling slightly as he heard snickers from the balcony when Kin was forced to do the same. Shikamaru then reached into his weapons pouch, feeling around for a shuriken, and threw it at Kin, watching as she mimicked him. An idea occurred to him. He would make her sweat a bit. So he stood still as Kin's shuriken sped towards him and his towards her. The kunoichi screamed in fear and Shikamaru made no move to dodge the oncoming weapon.

"You're crazy!" she yelled in fear and rage. Shikamaru grinned.

"Not really." Then, at the last moment, he threw himself back and to the side, smirking to himself as Kin's head collided with the wall that she was too close to in order to mimic Shikamaru's dodge properly. Releasing the jutsu, he walked over to her cautiously and kicked her feet. Not even a twitch. Chuckles rang out in the room at the way Shikamaru defeated the kunoichi. Gekko Hayate stepped forward.

"Winner: Nara Shikamaru!" The Nara trudged back up to the balcony amidst loud applause whilst Kin's prone body was carried way via a stretcher for medical attention.

"In a way that was kinda troublesome…" the Nara Genin muttered. "Having to fight a girl. Che." Unfortunately for him, he had almost reached where Ino stood, and her sharp ears picked up his comment.

"What did you say, _Shika-kun?_" she queried in a deceptively sweet voice. Drops of cold sweat began to roll down Shikamaru's temples.

"N-nothing, Ino-sama," he stuttered. "N-nothing at all." Ino beamed, executing a perfect 180-degree mood swing.

"Good! 'Cause then I'd have to **teach you about girls…**" Shikamaru suppressed a shudder at her menacing tone, and gulped, nodding in panicked agreement. Man, he'd take on an S-class ninja any day before he'd fight a pissed-off girl. They were _scary._ He shuddered again, and turned back to the arena.

* * *

Naruto stared contemplatively down at the arena. He wanted his turn, dammit! All those good fights had gotten him worked up, and now he was just _itching_ for a rousing match. _I hope I get a fierce opponent, _he thought eagerly. _Maybe someone hostile…._ Kyuubi sweatdropped at Naruto's thoughts.

"**You're crazy, kit,"**he muttered to himself. **"Only you would ask for a hostile opponent."**

'_Yes, well, I'm desperate,' _replied Naruto._ 'I haven't had a good spar since two days ago.'_

"**Don't get me wrong, it's actually wonderful having such a strong host, but could you please give sparring a break…" **The demon shook his head. It was useless. Naruto loved sparring too much. Changing the subject, the kitsune demon asked,

"**Are you nervous about the big reveal?"** Naruto grunted.

'_Yeah… Who wouldn't, what with the other Kages here, and whatnot…'_ Kyuubi growled slightly.

"**Just make sure you win your fight and avoid all political agreements and conversations, and you'll be ok."** Naruto chuckled.

'Hai.' He replied, fading out of his mindscape to see what was going on. _'That'll be okay, Kyuubi.'_ Receiving a positive feeling, Naruto gazed down in the arena, finding that he had missed the declarations, _again._ However, he didn't need to declaration to identify the participants of this particular match. His cerulean eyes widened as he took in the two Genin in the centre of the arena. Hyuuga Hinata and …. Hyuuga Neji? By the silence that blanketed the entire room, he could tell that everyone present was just as flabbergasted as he was. It was not entirely unusual for members of a team to fight at the exams, or even best friends, but two members of one family, and an extremely powerful one at that? Extremely rare. Naruto looked down at the arena again. He was looking forward to this match. It would definitely be interesting, especially since Neji was admittedly a prodigy and Hinata herself was quite strong. Recovering from his shock, Hayate Gekko went through the series of now expected motions and stepped back.

"Hajime!"

Instantly, there were two cries of 'Byakugan!' and the tell-tale bulging veins of the Hyuuga Genins' temples emerged. The two cousins circled each other, and Naruto felt a distinct sencse of foreboding at the cold, callous determination on Neji's face. This match was more than it seemed. To anyone but ninja from Konohagakure, this was simply a formal match between family members; but to anyone from Konohagakure no sato, it was more than that, so much more than that. It was a match between the Main Branch and Secondary Branch of the Hyuuga clan. Naruto watched Neji closely. Before he had left Konoha, the Hyuuga brunet had been quite the charlatan, his jealousy and anger at the then 'untalented' Hinata being a part of the Main Branch, whilst he, the prodigy, had to wear the shameful 'caged bird' seal, which could kill him if the Hyuuga elders wished it to. He couldn't run away like Naruto, nor could he attack the Hyuuga elders like Itachi. He was trapped. Obviously, his anger and sense of indignation had only festered over the years, hidden skillfully behind his stoic mask. Naruto sighed. So many of his Genin friends wore masks… He looked over at Hyuuga Hiashi. Did Hiashi-san know of Neji's inner turmoil? Or was today the first time he had been confronted with it? Staring contemplatively at the Hyuuga clan leader, Naruto only vaguely realized that Neji had begun to taunt Hinata; he was so lost in thought. _Hmm… the enmity between the branches is definitely something I would have to change if I ever became Hokage, _he mused. A particularly loud clash of steel against steel awoke him from his thoughts, and Naruto looked down again. Neji and Hinata had just discarded their kunai, and were now going at it with the Jyuuken. Naruto winced as Hinata absorbed five hits to the side in quick succession.

"You're worthless," taunted Neji as he landed blow after blow on Hinata. "**Weak.**"

Hinata's face contorted in soul-deep agony as her older cousin attacked all her weak points. She thought Neji had forgiven her, if not anyone else, for being in the Main Branch, but itseemed now, that he didn't. But she was not weak. Not anymore. Glancing up at the balcony, she saw Kiba's encouraging face. She would prove that she was not weak, even though she would probably lose. It was the truth. Yes, she had gotten stronger, and **yes**, she practiced as much as she could, but the hard, cold truth was that Neji was a prodigy, and the only reason several of the Hyuuga Jounin could even beat him was because they had more fighting experience. Hinata dipped her hand into her weapons pouch, and in a blur of movement, launched a dozen senbon at Neji. She had taken to using senbon after a few joined practices with Teams 10 and 9, when she had seen how useful they were. Hmm… maybe she could force Neji into Kaiten. He hadn't perfected it yet, after all. Hinata began rapidly emptying her two weapons pouches, launching everything she had as fast and as hard as she could at her cousin; and following it up with a few roundhouse kicks and well-aimed Jyuuken thrusts from the other direction. Just as she predicted, Neji was forced to try Kaiten, as there was no way for him to escape unhurt otherwise. However, as he had not properly completed it, he could only make a Kaiten weak enough to stop the weapons, and that only for a very short time, so when Hinata's roundhouse kicks and Jyuuken attack reached him, he was particularly susceptible. The female Hyuuga slipped into the Taijutsu taught to her by the Main Branch. But Neji had gotten his second wind, and his newfound strength was also fueled by anger. His haunted, empty lavender eyes were the last thing she saw before her body could withstand no more of the Jyuuken and she blacked out.

The arena was silent as Neji stood, panting and victorious; and then the proctor stepped forward.

"Winner: Hyuuga Neji!" There was polite applause, and as Neji walked off the arena beside a medic ninja, he looked up at Hyuuga Hiashi, whose face looked as if it was set in stone. Their eyes met, and Neji knew he would face the consequences later, but he didn't care. He had tasted a moment of freedom, and he wanted **more.**

* * *

As the Hyuugas left the arena, the remaining tension in the room began to dissipate, and the spectators returned their attentions to the luminescent screen that was now jerkily displaying the names of the unmatched Genin present. After a few moments, it halted, and the proctor stepped forward.

"Inuzuka Kiba, Konoha, and Rock Lee, Konoha!" Everyone applauded politely, and the Konoha 12 groaned as they espied the beginnings of the strange Genjutsu that always occurred around Maito Gai and his mini-me when they were celebrating 'youthfulness.' The two males were now hugging tightly and crying noisy tears as they babbled about 'youthfulness' and 'joy' and the 'springtime' and 'fountain of youth'. Naruto swore he also heard something about 'youthfully pleasing the youthful spectators with the youthful flames of joy!' Weird. **Definitely weird**. After the horrible display, Rock Lee made his way down from the balcony to the centre of the arena where Kiba was already waiting. Kiba's decidedly feral features had been enhanced by the expression of determination he wore, along with his excitement of a good spar. The last good spar he had had was with Naruto…

"Hajime!" barked Gekko Hayate, bringing his arm down like a drill sergeant. The Genin leapt at each other, slipping into a fierce Taijutsu fight. Kiba's style was exactly like his name; animalistic, and dangerous, whilst Lee was a blur of green and loud yells. Kiba tended to bound, and leap, almost on all fours, whilst Lee was more upright, and leaned more towards jumps and coiled springs. The ferocious Taijutsu battle lasted for a few minutes before an impasse was silently declared between the opponents. Not that Kiba was anywhere close to equaling, or even surpassing Lee, but their styles were entirely different; a fact that in itself was enough to neutralize more than a few advantages and disadvantages against each other. Panting slightly, the Genin slowed to a halt, eyeing each other from opposite ends of the arena. Kiba attacked first.

"Gatsuga!" he yelled. Beside him, Akamaru transformed and an identical copy of Kiba appeared next to the original, completely similar in every way except for slightly stronger animalistic features and similarities. The two Kibas braced themselves, and suddenly there were two grey-and-black blurs, spinning in a deadly furious path towards the still-stationary Lee.

Lee sprang into motion, executing a series of highly acrobatic flips to evade the attack, kicking the blur of color that was Kiba in the side and disrupting the Gatsuga attack. Kiba and Akamaru ground to a halt, digging clawed hands into the unyielding ground in an attempt to gain control of their body speed. In that split second, Lee made his attack, and unfortunately for Kiba, he was caught off-guard. The Inuzuka's body jerked as Lee's blows landed perfectly, each hit or kick coming hard and fast enough that Kiba was unable to regain his standing and either block or return the blows. Then, with one final roundhouse kick, Lee sent Kiba flying backwards and into the stone wall of the arena. The observing ninja winced as Kiba's body struck the wall, and slid down to crumple in a heap, where he began to struggle up. Meanwhile, Akamaru had already attacked Lee, giving Kiba some time to recover. The large brown and white dog had already gotten a good swipe in on Lee, and the manic Taijutsu user was bleeding quite profusely.

"Akamaru!" called a voice, halting the nin-dog's attack. Kiba had returned to the fight. The dog returned to his master's side, still growling at Lee. Steadying himself, Kiba attacked Lee with renewed determination and ferocity. He knew he would probably lose, since Lee's Taijutsu, whilst completely different, was so much better than his. The Inuzuka and his dog bounded forward, attacking from different sides. This strategy enabled Kiba to land a few well-placed blows on Lee, but they were still no match for the Taijutsu apprentice. One last, even stronger, roundhouse kick and Kiba's body did a repeat performance with the wall as backup. A few strong punches and kicks later, and Akamaru was similarly dispatched. Neither opponent was unconscious, but they were definitely incapable of continuing the fight. Hayate stepped forward.

"Winner: Rock Lee!" Cheers resounded in the arena as Lee returned to the balcony, and the vanquished Kiba limped off the battlefield with the aid of a medic-ninja.

After a few exuberant congratulations to Lee, the Konoha ninja returned their eyes to the machine, which had already begun to flit through various pairings. Naruto was getting impatient. He wanted to fight too, dammit! Why'd he have to wait so _long_? The Namikaze vaguely noted that two Genin were heading down, a Tsurugi Misumi from Otogakure, and a Kebi Shikon from Kirigakure. He was too busy grumbling to himself. _'I want my turn, dammit!'_ he whined. Kyuubi grunted.

"**Stop whining, brat. Your turn will come. Pay attention to the fight. What if you have to fight one of them later?"** Naruto scowled mentally. _'I know…'_ Then he brightened. _'Hey, Kyuubi! Which one would you prefer me to fight, Subaku no Gaara, or that Iwa leader? Personally, I want the Iwa.'_ Kyuubi actually growled.

"**Kit, you're supposed to be watching the fight! Kami, you're twitchy today. Calm down."** Naruto began to retort, but he suddenly tensed and grew silent. _'Hold on Kyuubi. Something or someone's going a bit strange out there.'_ The Jinchuuriki faded from his mindscape, leaving the fox demon behind.

Naruto blinked as the scenery changed. Frowning slightly as he looked down on the still-fighting Genin in the arena, he tried to ascertain the source of the unsettling feeling he was currently experiencing, simultaneously cursing himself for letting his guard down. Someone was watching him… He tried to pinpoint the slightly hostile, strangely unnerving chakra. It reminded him of snakes, _and_ it was strangely familiar. The Konoha Genin looked discreetly in the shadows at the other end of the balcony. His heart almost leapt out of his throat as his eyes landed on the Oto Jounin and leader of the Otogakure team.** It was Orochimaru. **The rogue Sannin in disguise smiled a slow, evil smile at the unsettled Genin. They both knew that Naruto knew who the Jounin really was, and the fact that he could do nothing about it. Orochimaru looked at Naruto steadily, snake-like eyes gleaming in the shadows.

"I'm coming for you too, Naruto-kun," mouthed the Sannin cruelly, smiling in triumph as Naruto's pupils dilated. Naruto and Sasuke were **his**.

Naruto watched in fear as the Sannin mouthed something at him; then faded away. _Wha? _he thought frantically, his eyes quickly scanning the arena. Orochimaru was gone. _How did he get in here? How many times has he snuck into Konoha?_ Shuddering at the thought of Orochimaru prowling around Konoha with no one the wiser, Naruto returned his attention to the fight, which incidentally, was over. _Mou… I missed it!_ Naruto hoped fervently that he wouldn't have to face the victor, Tsurugi Misumi, as he had no knowledge at all of his fighting style, or **anything.**

The next battle was between Subaku no Gaara, from Sunagakure, and an Iwagakure shinobi named Kyohaku Soen. The Ichibi Jinchuuriki was as stoic as ever, showing neither a favourable nor unfavourable reaction to Kyohaku's sneers. Kyohaku himself looked quite dangerous. He had dark blue hair, worn in a short, sleek ponytail, with two long side bangs framing his face. His hitai-ate was worn on his forehead, and his clothes were all either dark blue or black. The Iwa shinobi sneered menacingly at Gaara, who simply ignored him in favour of focusing himself on the imminent battle.

"Hajime!" barked Gekko, and the duo began to attack each other. Gaara's face was still expressionless. Then Kyohaku began to make some hand seals, crying out,

"Doton: Soudai Ude Raishuu!" A large arm quickly began to form out of the ground, its fingers forming a fist. The arm grabbed at Gaara, and then stopped abruptly mid-air. Kyohaku's eyes widened, along with the spectators'. There was nothing visible stopping his attack, so how-? Then something strange happened.

A sand arm had begun to form in front of the rock limb, particles of the golden-brown material seemingly attached to the new arm by a magnetic force. Gaara shifted, and the crowd gasped. The sand was coming out of the Suna Genin's gourd.

_Hmmm… That must be the Ichibi's power,_ mused Naruto, looking contemplatively at Gaara. The sand limb had fully formed now and was in the process of crushing the rock arm created from Kyohaku's attack. Quickly retreating, the Iwa shinobi tried to form another attack.

"Doton: Senbon Raishuu!" What seemed like thousands of senbon needles began to form in the air around Kyohaku; multiplying in the blink of an eye until the Iwa Genin was almost obscured. With a jabbing motion from Kyohaku, the needles sped towards Gaara. The sand arm instantly morphed, changing into a type of shield, whilst even more sand streamed from the gourd on his back to strengthen the shield. Seconds later, the veritable _storm_ of senbon slammed into the sand shield. The attack was unsuccessful for the first few nano-seconds, but as even more senbon connected roughly with Gaara's defense, the sand began to succumb, and a trickle of blood seeped from behind the shield. Kankuro, across from Naruto, groaned.

"Kyohaku is now breathing his last moments. Gaara's hardly ever gotten hurt before. Actually, this is the fourth time he's _ever_ bled. That damned sand protects him _all_ the time. Now he's gonna be in a blood rage." Temari moaned agreement. And Kankuro was right.

Immediately after the last few senbon were deflected by the sand shield, it dissolved into a hovering golden-yellow mass behind the Jinchuuriki, like some demented sand demon, and Gaara was revealed to the audience. His face was just as stoic as before; and his turquoise eyes were almost blank, but his chakra aura screamed murder, and a small, yet steady trickle of blood ran down his arm where a senbon had struck true. Naruto winced as a wave of particularly vicious youkai hit him. Kyohaku was doomed. Gaara spoke.

"You…hurt me…" Kyohaku looked up, only to meet his demise. The sand behind Gaara moved forward quickly, and in seconds, completely surrounded the Iwa Genin. Gaara's black-rimmed eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, and the sand around Kyohaku began to tighten. The other boy was fully encased in the sand; not even his head could be seen. Every ninja in the room fought back a wince at the sound of bones cracking, and a thick red liquid began to drip from the enclose sand. Moments later, Kyohaku's mangled body slipped from the now-open sand tomb, and dropped to the floor in a crumpled heap amongst an ever-widening pool of blood. The room was deathly silent. A Genin had just murdered his fellow Genin with no more than a blink, and that murder was horrendous even to the more seasoned ninja in the room. Then Hayate Gekko stepped forward.

"Winner: Subaku no Gaara." The stoic victor trudged out of the arena whilst medic nin scraped the corpse off of the ground and endeavored to remove most of the blood from the floor. They were largely successful, and as the last of the healing personnel exited the arena, the machine began to jerkily display Genin identities once more.

Naruto watched the emotionless Suna ninja as he passed. '_Hmmm… that was the influence of the Ichibi, wasn't it?'_ he asked Kyuubi. The demon sighed.

"**Hai. That tanuki was always so bloodthirsty…"** The kitsune demon grew serious. **"Kit, as your inhabitant I am asking you to get close to the Suna Jinchuuriki. When you get close enough for him to trust you, I will be able to help him with the Ichibi. Obviously, his seal is not like yours, where you have semi-control over me, as evidenced by the leaking youkai."** Naruto nodded mentally, and looked over at Gaara again. _He must be lonely, _he thought to himself. _Everyone, even his siblings, is too afraid to truly befriend him. I guess his blood rages don't enhance his charisma…_ As if he actually **felt**Naruto's gaze on him, the Sunagakure redhead turned slightly, looking back at Naruto. The Konohagakure Genin met his turquoise eyes calmly, steadily, feeling a slight oneness with the other Jinchuuriki. They were the same… Then Gaara blinked, and the moment was lost. Sighing, Naruto turned back to the machine, which was already displaying pairings for the next fight. It soon slowed to a halt, however, and Naruto's excitement rose as he saw his name. Namikaze Naruto.

Gekko Hayate looked incredulously at the name on the screen, then getting a discreet nod from the Hokage he cleared his throat and announced the next fight.

"Namikaze Naruto, Konoha, and Kuro Adauchi, Iwa!" The reaction was immediate. Every Kage and important official in the room began to murmur amongst themselves. The Namikaze clan had re-surfaced. From where? Everyone thought that the great clan, descended from the Senju clan, had died out with the untimely demise of the Yondaime Hokage. Then someone moved in the balcony, and even Gekko himself gasped. How did that not see the similarity between father and son before now? It was almost as if Minato himself stood there, with his bright cerulean eyes and golden-blonde hair, even that commanding aura. But his son was different; he had three whisker marks on each cheek, and an air of experience and slight jadedness that Minato had not had at the young age of 13. Naruto had been forced to grow up too quickly, and this no-longer-child-who-should-be-a-child was the result.

Naruto took a breath as he saw his name appear on the screen. It was now or never. _Otou-san, wherever you are, I hope I live up to your expectations…_ he thought, as he listened to Gekko's announcement. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki could feel all the _eyes_ on him; expressing different emotions: surprise and slight guilt from the Jounin who had known his father; more surprise, disbelief and a hint of betrayal from his fellow Genin; compassion from Ino; curiosity from the other hidden village Genin who had heard of the legendary Yondaime; and last but not least, outright, potent hostility from the Iwagakure ninja who still held a grudge against Konoha and the Namikaze clan in particular. Naruto closed his eyes briefly, gathering himself for the upcoming fight. This would be so much more than two genin battling each other, just like the match between the two Hyuugas. It was the rebirth of the Namikaze clan into the shinobi world, the reassertion of strength – showing that the Namikaze clan was still one of the strongest clans even though it had been dormant for 13 years; and for him, showing all of Konoha that he didn't need them, he was strong, and he was _not_ a demon. His cerulean orbs opened, and he turned to Ino. His beloved girlfriend was already watching him collect himself. Naruto stared deep into Ino's baby blue eyes, feeling the tinges of nervousness that had been creeping up fade away. Ino's presence always calmed him. She was his focus, his rock.

"Good luck," murmured the Yamanaka kunoichi. Naruto didn't reply; there was no need to. They didn't need words, not right now. A slight smile graced his lips, and Naruto turned away, ignoring the searching gazes of Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke. He didn't need them; they didn't need _him._

The large room was completely silent as Naruto descended from the balcony. Every eye was riveted to the Namikaze hair, taking him in as if for the first time. The Konoha ninja were speechless. Naruto had fully cast off the vestiges of his 'dobe' mask, and now looked every inch a Namikaze and a member of Konoha's most important clans. The blonde quickly crossed the arena to the center, where the proctor and his opponent were already waiting; Kuro sneering nastily at him. Naruto countered the sneer with a steady look, and slid into a Taijutsu position as Gekko Hayate stepped back. He was completely focused. The sounds of the spectators around him faded away, and Kuro Adauchi and himself were all that remained.

"Hajime!" he heard Gekko say, and he sprung into motion, using the same animalistic Taijutsu style he had used against Kiba in their earlier spar. Kuro countered with a style just as ferocious, and the Genin duo began a feral dance, slashing viciously at each other with kunai and dodging, executing and blocking potentially bone-breaking kicks at random intervals. Then Naruto abruptly whirled, introducing a slight Hyuuga influence into his routine. His hand glowed briefly blue, and his outstretched open palm hit his opponent flat against the chest. Kuro staggered backward, reeling. Naruto's sudden, lightning-fast change in routine had shaken him, and the speed made it difficult for him to the counter the attack.

"T-Toyuu monodatta?" he gasped to himself, clutching his chest. He had never felt such an attack…it felt as if his very breath and blood were on fire. He had to give himself time to recover, and that meant no more Taijutsu. That Namikaze scum was going down.

The Hokage and his fellow Kages stared incredulously, as Hyuuga Hiashi fought back a triumphant, predatory smirk. Naruto had just used a form of Jyuuken, the Gentle Fist attack. There had never been a non-Hyuuga, until now, who could execute the most basic Hyuuga attack, the Jyuuken. Nor could they; the Hyuuga, like all other important clans, guarded their secrets jealously. The Hokage turned to Hiashi.

"Did you teach him **that**_?_" Hiashi only smirked in reply. He knew the Hokage and important persons surrounding them would take that for a yes, which it wasn't. Besides, he couldn't let the world know that a non-Hyuuga had figured out the basis to the Jyuuken _by himself_ now, could he? _Hmm… if Naruto-kun had not had a relationship with the Yamanaka heir, and Hinata-chan a liking for the Inuzuka boy, I would've tried a bit of matchmaking…_ the Hyuuga head mused. Sighing almost inaudibly, Hiashi turned back to the fight. _No time for musings now…_

Naruto watched as Kuro's face contorted, his mouth open and gasping for air. He had hit the tenketsu points near the lungs and heart. It wasn't fatal, but definitely very painful, and detrimental to winning a fight. Kuro caught his breath back, and his features settled into determination. Naruto knew that the fight had now truly begun.

"Doton: Senbon Raishuu!" called Kuro. It was the same attack that had caused Kyohaku Soen's demise only a few minutes before. Senbon began to form in the air, hovering around the Iwagakure shinobi like miniature birds of prey. The Kuro made the familiar jabbing motion, and the volley of senbon began to move. A smirk stretched across Kuro's lips as he watched his attack bear down on his Konohagakure opponent. There was no way that the Namikaze could neutralize or avoid the attack. _Right?_ **Not.** Naruto's hands flashed through a series of hand seals, and he said,

"Fuiton: Kaze Yaiba!" A vicious wind whipped up, and _every senbon_ was cut into pieces. For a second or two, the only sound was the slight tinkling the pieces of small rock made as the ruined senbon felt to the floor. Kuro was in disbelief. _No one_ had ever simply neutralized that attack before; even Gaara's previously impenetrable sand defense had suffered. Naruto smirked ferally. It was his turn to attack. He was tired of being on the defensive. Running through another set of seals, he said quietly,

"Fuiton: Daitoppa!" A wind, even greater than before, began in the arena, and before he knew it, Kuro had been slammed painfully into the stone wall, the vicious wind cutting away at the exposed skin of his face and hands. The Iwagakure Genin staggered to his feet, hatred contorting his features.

"Doton: Bunshin no Jutsu!" he cried. A clone began to form from the ground. By the time it had fully formed, Kuro had regained his footing. The clone turned to its maker and healed some of the Genin's superficial wounds. Then the identical duo turned to Naruto and attacked; one from either side. Naruto now began to fight in earnest; the other genin _was_ quite good at Taijutsu, and two of him meant that there was actually a challenge' since he couldn't go all out. Not yet. He would only go all out or almost all out if he felt that his opponent deserved or could take it, and this Genin, even though he was quite strong, was no match for Naruto's skills, which he had honed under the guise of Akuma Hiai.

Naruto dodged a particularly vicious kick from Kuro's doppelganger, and fought back a grimace as he caught the last of a series of hand seals in his peripheral vision. Spikes began to rise from the ground, and Naruto knew it was time to step up the game. Kuro wanted to play dirty, then so would he. This fight would be over in no time at all. But first, he needed to get rid of the annoying spikes.

"Fuiton: Kaze Kamisori!" The now-familiar feeling of wind picking up caressed Naruto's skin, and moving his hand discreetly to direct the sharp breeze, the spikes were decimated. An extra sharp wave, almost on the verge of being a jab, took care of the clone, and Naruto was left to deal with the original.

"_Fuiton: Rensa no Inbijiburu!_" he thought, whilst finishing the last seal. Across the arena, Kuro's hands slammed down, parallel to his sides, and his legs suddenly locked themselves together. He was trapped. Smirking, Naruto made his way over to the Iwagakure Genin, and stood victoriously over him. There was no doubt as to who was the winner. Hayate stepped forward.

"Winner: Namikaze Naruto!" The applause was thunderous. The Konoha 12, with the exception of Sasuke and Sakura, were all clapping as hard as they could, whilst simultaneously trying to scrape their jaws off of the ground. Naruto was **formidable.** There was no other word to describe him. The Namikaze strolled across the arena and back up the balcony stairs, suppressing the triumphant smile threatening to take over his features. Shikamaru gave him a steady look as he passed. Naruto raised a brow in answer. The Nara Genin somehow _knew_ that Naruto had not broken a sweat out there on the arena; and the Namikaze in mention was aware that he knew.

A small smirk appeared on Naruto's lips as he felt Sasuke's jealous stare on his back. The Uchiha was pathetic… Instead of becoming even more determined to get stronger, he got envious of Naruto's strength and only ended up hindering his own progress. _Sasuke, you should stop obsessing over me and Itachi, and turn your envy into determination, and your 'ambition' into a goal._

* * *

Ino watched a smirk appear on her boyfriend's face as he noticed Sasuke's envious stare. The Yamanaka looked at the 'last' Uchiha pityingly. Sasuke was so insecure. According to him, Naruto was nothing more than a 'dobe', a dead-last. So how come he was so jealous of the so-called dead-last? Truly stronger individuals never envied their weaker individuals. Her gaze returned to the Uchiha. She pitied him. When Naruto left Konoha, 3 years ago, Sasuke had ruled the Genin, being the strongest in terms of raw power, and no one had bothered to challenge him. And now Naruto hadn't been back for even 6 months, and already his conceptions of strength and self were being crushed mercilessly. Not even his Sharingan, which he wrongly believed made him all-powerful, could handle Naruto's jutsu – Naruto had told Ino and Shikamaru about the incident. Clapping drew Ino out of her introspection, and the Yamanaka looked towards the arena to see that Chouji and an Otogakure ninja had been chosen for the last match. The kunoichi looked at the machine's screen. The Oto Genin was named Kinuta Dosu. Ino frowned. She had no idea how this match would turn out. Settling more comfortably against the railing of the balcony, Ino gazed down at the arena.

"Hajime!" cried the proctor, and the match had begun with a clash of kunai. It ended as quickly as it began, however, when Chouji executed his Nikudan Sensha Jutsu and literally crushed Kinuta Dosu to defeat. The Konohagakure Genin broke into loud applause, and a slightly bloodied Chouji grinned in pleasure. The plump Akimichi ascended the stairs to the balcony, accepting friendly congratulations from his fellow Konoha Genin. Below, Hayate Gekko stepped forward into the centre of the arena.

"Thank you for watching or participating here at the Chuunin Selection Examinations," he began. "The winning participants for the 3rd stage will now be called: Uchiha Sasuke, Aburame Shino, Subaku no Kankuro, Yamanaka Ino, Subaku no Temari, Hyaku Umi, Nara Shikamaru, Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, Tsurugi Misumi, Subaku no Gaara, Namikaze Naruto and Akimichi Chouji." The Genin named by the proctor descended from the balcony as he called their names, until all 13 were assembled in the arena. Hayate made a small motion with one hand, and a slightly apprehensive Chuunin came forward, carrying a wooden box. Hayate began to speak.

"You will each step forward and withdraw a piece of paper from this box. Each piece of paper will contain a single number from the range 1-6, except one, which has the number 0. Whoever receives the zero will not have any specific matchup, but will instead fight the winner of the 6th fight. In other words, anyone that has received the number 6 will have to fight twice in succession. There is two of each number except the zero in the box. You will come forward when your name is called." Gekko looked down at a clipboard in his hand, and then called out,

"Uchiha Sasuke." The stoic Uchiha stepped forward and took a piece of paper from the box.

"Aburame Shino." And it continued, until Chouji, the last, stepped up and took out the last paper. When he regained his original place in the group of Genin, Hayate began to speak again.

"You may open your papers now." Rustling was the predominant sound as the Genin unfolded their respective papers.

"Will the Genin with number 1 step forward?" asked the proctor. Beside Naruto, Ino stepped forward, as did Lee, from the other side of the group. The Jounin nodded once, indicating to them to step back, and wrote down something on the clipboard.

"Genin with number 2?" Shino and Kankuro came forward.

"3?" questioned Gekko. Gaara and Sasuke stepped forward, equally stoic; then Chouji and Tsurugi Misumi claimed the 4th match; Shikamaru and Subaku no Temari stepped forward with number 5, and finally Naruto stepped forward with Hyaku Umi as the Genin of the 6th match. Hyaku stared at Naruto, before dismissing him, and the Namikaze smirked to himself. Hyaku would never know what hit him. Only Neji was left, as the number 0. _Hmm…_thought Naruto to himself. _ Either I or Hyaku Umi will be fighting Neji in the finals._ Hayate cleared his throat.

"The matches will be as follows: Yamanaka Ino, Konoha, and Rock Lee, Konoha; Aburame Shino, Konoha, and Subaku no Kankuro, Suna; Subaku no Gaara, Suna and Uchiha Sasuke, Konoha; Akimichi Chouji, Konoha, and Tsurugi Misumi, Oto; Nara Shikamaru, Konoha, and Subaku no Temari, Suna; and Namikaze Naruto, Konoha and Hyaku Umi, Kiri. Hyuuga Neji, Konoha, will face off with the winner of the match between Namikaze-san and Hyaku-san." Hayate stepped back and to the side, allowing the Hokage to stand and speak.

"Fellow Kages and other officials, thank you for coming to see the 3rd stage preliminaries of the Chuunin Selection Examinations." Sarutobi sat down, and the Genin were allowed to leave behind the nervous Chuunin with the wooden box. They had more trials to prepare for. At least this time around, they had some idea of what and who they were facing.

* * *

Hey readers! Sorry about the long absence! Hope you enjoy this chapter.. its so long, I actually considered splitting it into 2 - its over 12,000 words! Review and tell me what you think - these exams are a bit unconventional.

Szayelchick

ps: is editing out all my paragraphing... so just bear with it, please!


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